Children Who Fight Without Crying
by Wake Me Up When It's All Over
Summary: A broken boy in a broken world. Though he and his friends discover their shared lives from the past, Yugi learns more than them. He remembers how the world became the way it was. He learned why he feels engulfed by shadows. And he realizes the true reason they were all reborn. A dark secret that will never let them die... ABANDONED
1. Chapter 1

**So, this is just something I thought of randomly. I dunno if I should eep going with this. It kinda ends with a cliffhanger, but I wonder if I should just make it a one-shot... Isn't it cool, though? The setting is sort of fantasy/adventure... The time period is around when guns and swords both were used. But, it's fantasy! Don't worry about the little details!**

"One... two... three... One is missing, where has it gone~?" The young boy looked around curiously, his head tilted. Streaks of blond hair fell over his face, whilst the rest of his dark hair framed his violet eyes. He wore a simple jacket, with a white shirt underneath. Strolling beneath the moonlight, he looked child-like.

Except for the sword, that is. The boy sighed, recounting the number of bodies lying on he ground. "Eh," he said, sounding surprised, "now I'm missing two. Was one playing possum..?" The violet eyes glinted. Stepping nonchalantly through the carnage, the young boy said, "Couldn't have gone far..."

Using his sword, the boy pushed away some of the surrounding brush. He peeked, then withdrew his face sharply as a gunshot sounded. A small smile played on the boy's lips as he spotted the people hiding beneath the bush. A soldier, panting and bloody; and a noble, shivering fearfully in his fine silks.

"Found you!" The boy cried out happily in delight. He then proceeded to dodge the next series of bullets the soldier desperately fired. In the moment when the soldier ran out, the boy cleanly sliced the man's head off. Then he looked to the noble. Ignoring the man's desperate offers of money, he killed him as well.

Sighing, the boy let his gaze roam over the scene. "Are any missing?" he wondered aloud. He thought for a moment, then shrugged. "If I missed anyone," he said cheerfully, "they might kill me! A fatal mistake, but is there anything I can do about it?" The boy strolled off, leaving the bloody meadow behind him.

Eventually he ran into a man dressed in the same attire as him. "Yugi," the man said in a bored tone, "welcome back." Yugi nodded back respectfully, making it all the way into the hideout before he burst out into giggles. "That was fun," he said quietly to himself. "Was it?" Yugi looked up.

A blonde stared angrily down at him. In a moment, Yugi's childish attitude vanished, replaced by an empty smile. "Yes, sir," he said even softer than before. The man grunted. "You little freak," he heard, and was pushed aside as the blonde forced his way through. Yuugi hung his head, quickly shutting himself in his room.

"Joey is so mean," he whined to himself, lying on his bed. The sword lay on the table, and he knew he needed a bath, and needed to clean his blade... but he didn't want to. Finally he forced himself to sit up. He did everything as fast as possible before lying down again. "Now I'm bored," he murmured, closing his eyes.

A clunk sounded in his room. In an instant, Yugi was up, reaching for his sword. But it was only an object. He stared at it for a moment before he looked up, seeing a figure still against his darkened ceiling. "Who are you?" Yugi asked curiously. The intruder was silent. "Hey... Don't ignore me!" He chuckled suddenly,

"Oh, but I guess you wish I'd do the same to you. I won't though." The figure dropped lithely down onto the floor, where Yugi was able to see him for the first time. It was a boy his age, with long white hair. Yugi absentmindedly fingered his own oddly colored hair as he made the observation.

The boy smiled shyly. "I... I'm sorry I dropped it." Yugi shrugged. "What is it, anyways?" he questioned idly, kneeling to look at the object. It was a golden triangular object, with a cord threaded through the square base. There was also an engraving of an eye, which was so odd the boy forgot himself for a second, letting down his guard to reach out towards the strange image.

"Don't touch it!" the stranger said sharply. Yugi looked up, but his finger had already lightly brushed the golden object. A flash blinded him, causing him to instinctively throw up his arms. He inhaled, waiting. Then jerked back as soft fingers touched his arm, a hiss emerging from his mouth.

He looked up, violet eyes meeting red ones. Red? The intruder hadn't had red eyes. Yugi was certain he would have noticed. Slowly the boy shifted his arms down, clutching his sword as he gazed at the man. He saw the man looking confused... and transparent. Transparent. The word caused Yugi to tilt his head wonderingly.

"What are you?" Yugi asked. The man looked at him. "I'm Yami," the man said haltingly. "I'm your shadow." Yugi looked around in confusion, but the white-haired boy had gone already. So he looked back at the transparent man. "You are my shadow..? Yami..? It can't be. I don't understand."

Yami looked frustrated. "I was trapped in that puzzle, and-" "Puzzle," Yugi murmured, interrupting the self-proclaimed shadow's explanation. "It can be taken apart?" He examined it to find grooves where it could be pulled apart. As an experiment, Yugi tugged, but then the man said, "Wait, don't."

Startled, Yugi left it as it was. "Look, I-" the man tried, but then Yugi's eyes went flat for a moment. "I have an appointment," he muttered. "I forgot." He spun, sheathing his sword as he darted out the door. "Eh? Wait!" Yugi ignored the man's call, hurriedly entering a room. "You're late," came the greeting.

Yugi smiled childishly, apologizing to the woman sitting behind the desk. "Sorry~! Did I make you mad~?" The lady scoffed. "Stop acting that way. I've already marked that you left, so hurry up."

"Okay!" The boy nodded, a genuine smile now playing on his lips as he left the hideout, running. "Where are you going?" He ignored his shadow's question as he skidded to a stop, listening intently. "One... two... three... six. Six horses... Four voices..." Yugi murmured softly as he listened.

He clambered up a tree, watching intently as a carriage passed below him. "What are you doing?" Yami asked curiously. His question was answered as Yugi dropped from the branch, plunging his sword into the carriage roof. Inside were two people who were dressed in fine clothes.

Yugi casually swung his sword, beheading the two. The whole affair was silent - the drivers hadn't heard anything yet. He hummed as he scrambled back onto the roof, carefully jumping off. "My shirt is stained," the child muttered unhappily as he looked at the blood. "You..." Yugi looked up.

Yami was staring at him, shocked. Yugi tilted his head, grinning. "Are you okay, Yami? You look sick." Yami blinked. He couldn't believe what he had seen. The child who'd unlocked his soul was unbelievably... blood-thirsty.

Yugi looked sadly at the carriage, which was disappearing in the gloom of the forest. "I left two alive this time... I can't believe I made a mistake again!" Yugi chuckled, stifling the sound with his fist. "I'm breaking down already?" His face was angry.

"You're not breaking, you're fixing," came a soft voice. Yugi and Yami looked up to see the white-haired boy standing near a tree. Yugi growled, a long, drawn-out sound. But the boy didn't flinch. "My name is Bakura," he said. Yugi stopped, his eyes going wide. "You're-!" he said incredulously.

"I'm the one who escaped three years ago," the youth completed for him. "I had help from this," he added, holding a circle of gold, from which hung seven points. An eye like the one on Yami's puzzle rested in the middle.

"What is it?" Yugi asked. Bakura explained, "They're... shadow artifacts, meant to take the darkness out of someone. The darkness then becomes a reflection of the person." Yugi frowned, his mind whirling.

Abruptly he pulled out the puzzle, which he had stuffed into his jacket in his rush to leave, and threw it in the ground. "This is yours, right? This is what's breaking me." His voice had turned cold, causing Bakura and Yami to flinch. "Take it back. Leave me alone. My darkness is mine!" With that, he turned and ran.

"...Why would he want to keep his darkness?" Yami asked, confused. Bakura sighed. "We were orphans," he told the shadow. "In this world of strife and war, it's an awfully painful thing to be... We were orphans, made into killers. We were children, made into killers." Bakura looked sad as he said this to Yami.

The shadow could not help but wonder what had happened to make the children this way. "But... Was it only you two?" Bakura shook his head. "No, but the third one died a while back." Yami thought about that.

"What was his name?" Bakura took a long while to answer that, but finally he replied, "Her name was Anzu."


	2. Chapter 2

**So as you can see... I decided to continue the story! I actually worked on this in... erm. During lunch, and I was so bored I actually managed to finish a chapter! Score! Hope you enjoy! If not... well, that sucks. Sorry.**

"If it is necessary, it will be preserved. If it is not, it will be destroyed." The boy recited the words, sitting dejectedly on the ground. His back was against a tree as he stared up at the dark sky. His eyes were closed, asleep for all the world to see if he were not shaking with fear. He sighed. "Softness and kindness is not necessary - in fact, it is a weakness. It will get you killed. So destroy it, or you will be destroyed…" Another voice asked softly, "So is this the world I have been awoken into?"

The boy opened his eyes to see Yami hovering over him. Yugi smiled, tilting his head. "Where is Bakura?" The specter answered carefully, "I think he is afraid to see you. He is somewhere else." Yugi acknowledge his answer with a nod, turning his attention to the man. He pursed his lips, seeming to consider something before saying, "It seems this is not the first time you have been… 'woken'?"

Yami shook his head. Leaning down and touching the golden object with one finger, he said hesitantly, "No… though my memories are faint, I can remember several other times I have been woken. I can't really recall the actual details… but the world was far softer then." The boy laughed, a humorless sound dryer than his previous chuckles.

"My shadow," he said sardonically, gesturing to the man. "My darkness… manifested. I don't buy that. I was afraid, at first, but honestly. It seems as if our positions should be switched." Yami was silent, his eyes downcast. For the first time, Yugi wondered whether the shadow was as he seemed. The thought that the man and Bakura were lying crossed his mind.

He decided to ignore the thought. Instead he asked, "Well… what did Bakura tell you?" Yami shifted, looking reluctant. "Bakura told me you guys were orphans. And that there were three of you… but the third died? Anzu, right?" Yugi nodded. His eyes were flat, his mouth set into a line as he studied the shadow. Yami uncomfortably stood before sitting, on eye level with Yugi.

The boy sighed. "Yes - Anzu died a while back. And we were the only children, bringing us down to two. And then… and then Bakura ran away. He told you he escaped, right? That was only his delusion. There's nowhere to escape to. All he did was make himself independent - but it's too hard to live that way. Why didn't he take me? Why didn't-" Yugi cut himself off abruptly.

After a moment, Yami said, "Is that how you feel?" His voice was soft, but the question made Yugi flinch. He stood, walking quickly into the bushes. "Wait," Yami said, reaching out. He grasped Yugi's jacket, causing the boy to instinctively swing backwards with his sword. The blade passed through Yami's arm. Snarling with frustration, Yugi slipped out of the garment and ran.

"Wait! Dammit, Yugi, come back! Stop running!" Yami ran after the boy, the golden pendant hastily slung around his neck. He kept hold on the jacket, bundling it in his arms as he raced after the little figure. Though Yugi was young and well-trained, Yami was only a shadow. Eventually, the boy tired, giving up as slumped to the ground. Yami walked closer.

Before he say anything, Yugi looked up. He was panting hard, but smiling. "That… that was fun!" he said happily, gasping out the words. "It was… like… playing tag! Like before…" Something clicked for Yami. "How old are you?" Yugi shrugged cheerfully, staggering up to his feet. "I dunno, thirteen? Heh heh… Maybe twelve, no one really keeps track."

Laughing giddily, the boy flung out his arms and spun around. The man watched the boy for a moment before asking, "You… are a child. And a killer." Yugi's face fell. He stopped spinning, looking thoughtful before saying, "Mm, I guess so. We fight and fight, but are we still children? I'm no child, only killers at Strife. Only killers, but I'm a child."

Yami slowly reached down, grasping the boy's hand. "Are you still mad at Bakura?" Yugi shrugged, hugging the man's arm. "I don't think so. Not right now. Why?" Yami smiled carefully, tugging the boy through the forest. "You've been here for a while, right? Bakura traveled a lot. You know, maybe he knows a village we can go to." Yugi drew back sharply.

"People are only there to be killed," he said, his voice going high with nervousness. Yami slowly shook his head, pulling the boy back to him gently. "No," he said. "No, they aren't. They can be friendly, can't they?" Yugi laughed, saying, "Silly! Wolves form packs and sheep form herds, but they don't make friends to each other." The boy's voice was hardening.

Yami sighed. He was trying, he really was, but he didn't know how to deal with the boy. He knew he was the child's shadow, but the child felt much darker than he could ever be. He wondered why. He recalled a time of warmth from his previous and most recent awakening… He thought perhaps his last light had lightened him. What had that person's name been?

His attention returned to the present sharply as Yugi pulled away. "Yes, I am mad at Bakura," the boy said, his head down. His bangs covered his eyes, but his arms trembled as they wrapped around his slim frame. Cautiously Yami reached out, but the child shied away. "No," Yami said coaxingly, "please don't run, Yugi." Yugi looked up, but his expression was tired.

"I forgot," the boy sighed. "I need to report back… that the noble was taken care of." He turned and steadily made his way back through the woods. Yami looked longingly in the opposite direction. He'd been so close… his purpose was to keep his light out of the shadows, but this one was so deeply immersed in the darkness. Yami groaned softly as he turned to follow the boy.

It would take a very long time to bring Yugi into the light.


	3. Chapter 3

**I was so bored, I finished two chapters! I hope this enthusiasm doesn't fade soon... although knowing my capacity for being capricious, I'll probably slow and stop after the next chapter or so. Enjoy!**

"Why are you still here?" Yugi asked, his voice slightly muffled by the pillow. Yami didn't reply. It the fifth time Yugi had asked the question, and he had run out of variations of his only answer - he was the boy's shadow. Rolling over, Yugi eyed the man, whose scarlet eyes were lingering anywhere but on the boy. Yugi rolled back onto his face. "Fine… What happens to you if I die?"

Yami looked down, startled, but Yugi remained motionless. "...I am sealed again," Yami said cautiously. Yugi nodded, as best as he could with his head buried in the pillow. "Okay," he mumbled, "so really nothing. So why are you my shadow?" Yami didn't answer. He didn't know himself. Suddenly he jumped as a glinting blade emerged from his chest.

Yugi looked up innocently at the incredulous man. "You can touch things," Yugi said calmly as Yami stepped out of the blade's reach. Yugi moved his sword in time with the man's fumbling. "But things can't touch you unless… what? You will it? Or want it?"

The boy finally sheathed his blade. His eyes blinked, mischievous. "Can you fight?" Yami tilted his head, uncertain of what he heard. A feral smile played over Yugi's lips as he drew closer to the man. He unclipped his sword, balancing it on his hands. Then he whirled it, the sheathed blade passing inches from the shadow's body, ethereal as it was.

Yami jerked back, passing through the whirling sword's orbit. Yugi laughed light-heartedly, his mood switching. "Come on, come on! It's no fun fighting a ghost - and besides," his voice flattened a little, "how can you help me if you can't fight?"

"A war-ridden world," the man mused. He stepped back, shaking his head. "I don't fight. I'll play games, but…" Yugi perked up, smiling hopefully. "Games? What kind of games?" Yami shrugged. "Shadow Games. That's how I fight." The boy nodded thoughtfully, lowering his sword. He leaned back, sitting on his bed. Absentmindedly Yugi remarked, "I should have left Bakura alive."

Yami jerked his head up. "What?" The boy shrugged. Looking up at the man he said, "Mm, I killed him earlier. I found him before you found me… I was mad at him. Then I was satisfied? But still mad later… It'll be okay, though. Do we need each other?"

The man made an upset noise as he processed what the boy had said. He was still shocked by the things the innocent-looking child did… He asked warily, "Wait a second. Weren't you sad when Anzu died? Why would you kill Bakura?" Yugi hissed a little at the names. He shifted, turning away from the shadow, but Yami could still see Yugi's profile, distorted by a snarl.

"Anzu died," Yugi said. "She died from a stray bullet. A stray bullet from an inexperienced hand. Did I hate the killer? I don't think so. But he left me behind and made me mad." Yami struggled to understand Yugi's cryptic words. Finally, his eyes widened. "Did… did Bakura kill Anzu by accident?" Yugi nodded, turning back to look at Yami. His violet eyes were sad.

Nodding, the boy said, "Yeah. Yeah, it was an accident, but he was so afraid of me he left me behind. So I hated him. And then he brought you. Why was he in my room? Why did you come? Too many questions, I hated him for that." Yami whispered, "I think he was just afraid."

"He's not a kid," Yugi scoffed. "Why would he be afraid?" Yami pointed out, "You are both kids." Yugi shook his head. "Even if we are, inside we aren't… Or is it the other way around? Besides-" Yugi broke off, breathing slowly for a few moments. "Do you know why he was there?" When Yami nodded, Yugi stared at him forlornly. The shadow hesitated.

He said haltingly, "Bakura was guilty. He told me that he was there for you. But when I woke up… he was afraid again. It wasn't his fault. It was just fear." Yugi looked blank. He tilted his head, mumbling, "He was too shy for this world then." The man glanced at the boy cautiously. "Aren't you sad, Yugi?" he said questioningly. "It's okay if you cry, right?"

At the end of his sentence Yugi was shaking his head. "I'll only cry when I'm dying," he laughed. "Anyway, what about you? Can you not cry because you're a shadow? You seem softer than me, I thought you'd be crying… or horrified… or something. Maybe shocked, but that's a mild reaction, isn't it?" Yami chuckled softly. "I am a shadow, your darkness," he said.

Although he wasn't sure how true that statement was. Yugi seemed to have similar thoughts, a smirk forming on his mouth. The boy hopped to his feet, readying himself. He pulled out a jacket from his closet and pulled it on, clipping his sword back onto his belt. He opened a drawer and pulled out various blades that he tucked into his jacket, his belt, and one that…

"You are pinning your hair back?" Yami asked. Yugi had pulled back his hair into a ponytail. "I'm running away," Yugi said simply. The shadow blinked, his mind working through the words. "You… are?" The boy nodded. "I usually don't think very clearly, but right now I'm wondering why Bakura ran away. I know why he didn't return - punishment - but why leave?"

"So you're going to find out," Yami completed, his mind still reeling. Yugi nodded, examining himself in the mirror. "Yes… usually I don't bother with the hair, but since everyone here is very skilled, I need 100% visibility." Looking satisfied, he walked out the door.

Yami faded as Yugi walked out of the hideout, but he watched as the boy moved carefully through the forest. "I will have to kill still," the boy said thoughtfully. "I have no money… which is needed for living. I could take jobs like in Strife, or kill people who have what I need. I wonder which would be best?" Yami remained quiet, knowing Yugi was only thinking out loud.

Personally, the man thought Yugi should try something that didn't involve killing, but still… Yami shimmered back into existence, a soft smile on his face. They were making progress, and faster than he had dared to hope before. Maybe it would work out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ahaha - I was gonna have Yugi get killed by Mai, but in the end didn't. It would have lead to this whole rebirth cycle, which would've been fun, but a) Yugi's supposed to be strong and b) I'm a little tired of killing my characters. How many have I killed, anyways?... Well, enjoy! And please review, that makes my day. Unless it's mean. Then you better block me, cause otherwise... *sinister laugh* No, actually, I like mean ones too... Just not bland ones that tell me what to do. Like, ordering me to do. That's not col, guys. Okay... NOW, enjoy!**

Yami opened his eyes. Panicked, he looked around, only to find he was in the darkness again. Again? What had happened? Like before - if there was a before - the memories faded quickly, leaving him with a myriad of emotions that made no sense. Had this happened before? What triggered it? He put a name to the strongest emotion - sorrow.

Another name blazed through his mind - Yugi. At that moment his eyes opened, for real this time, seeing moonlight and shadows. It was night, and he could make out the dark figures of buildings through the trees… he sighed. He hadn't understood that dream at all. Especially the name… He recalled how he had thought of Yugi, and glanced at the boy beside him.

Rolling his eyes he checked the position of the moon. Yugi had told him to wake him when the moon was 'near the elm's highest branches' and Yami guiltily saw the moon had almost passed the checkpoint. He leaned over, lightly shaking the boy. "Yugi, wake up." Violet eyes snapped open. A wave of nostalgia passed through Yami before the boy smiled cheerfully.

"Yami!" he said happily. He looked up, his demeanor happy-go-lucky as he scoldingly, "That's no good, you almost woke me up too late. If we don't get moving soon we won't make it to the next town before dawn!" Yami laughed. "But what will you do there?"

Yugi shrugged, already moving ahead. "Observe, naturally." His tone slipped into matter-of-fact inflections as he said, "I'm still curious about the world in the light. It seems that 50% of the people live 'ordinary' lives - of course, only 30% of that number have skills on par with fighters like those at Strife, but still, it's intriguing." Yami was silent, thinking about the boy's words.

Finally the boy glanced back at him. "I have a question - what do you think of me?" Yami shrugged. "A mature child," he replied thoughtlessly, then looked down. Yugi wasn't looking at him, and suddenly the shadow was worried he had hurt the boy's feelings. "Are you okay?" he asked hurriedly. A moment, then Yugi looked up, grinning. "Yes," he answered.

"But look, look - you can see the next town already. And it's only a little lighter in the sky. Hurry, Yami!" True to his enthusiastic tone, the boy picked up his pace, tumbling into the town. His mood was light, and the man laughed, watching the child explore the unfamiliar village eagerly. "Your brother is so cute!" a passerby said, and Yami felt a pang of sadness. He wondered if the child would see him that way, or only as an intruder in his life. Even if he meant well…

"I'm hungry," Yugi said abruptly. He grinned, glancing back at his shadow. "So... what do you suggest I should do, my shadow?" Yami shrugged, not really knowing what to say. All he knew was that he didn't want Yugi to kill for food, but even he could see the boy couldn't eat that way.

Yugi looked thoughtful. "Do you eat? You sleep, but..." Yami shrugged. Nodding, the child made a disgruntled noise as he turned away. The shadow heard him mumbling, and wondered what it was, staring curiously at the small figure. But he remained silent, following. In the end, they had Yami steal some food. It worked out well, him being a phantom. But Yugi wasn't satisfied, and so, they toured the town a little. Then suddenly, Yugi lurched forward. "Look!" he said excitedly, pointing, "Look Yami, there's cupcakes! I've never had any! I want some, I want some, please?" The man laughed, glancing at the person handing out samples.

"Um," he said hesitantly, "Can we have two, please?" The person nodded, grinning at Yugi's childlike happiness. "You can even have three!" the woman laughed, handing them over. Yugi smiled as he dug into the treat, allowing Yami to pull them to a shaded bench. He watched the boy warmly, then he noticed frosting on the boy's lip. "Frosting," he said, gesturing.

"Thanks," Yugi said, looking up as he wiped the food off. Then his expression froze. "Stay, Yami," he said flatly, standing. The man watched in confusion as the boy put down the wrapper and walked stiffly past him, before realizing, "Wait, where are you-" But when he turned to keep the boy in sight, the child was gone. Panicked, he looked around, but Yugi was already gone.

Yugi smiled coldly at the two adults waiting for him in the shadowed alley. "Hello. Mai and... Shizuka, correct? My, how long it has been. How are you?" The left hand figure scoffed, shifting. A woman was revealed. Her companion also revealed herself, saying, "Yes, Shizuka and I missed you, Yugi. We still haven't paid you back for that incident." Yugi's smile didn't waver as he replied cheerfully, "Ah, yeah, you guys deal in being bodyguards, right? Shame, you should really change that profession. Honestly, terrible... bodyguards." Mai's face twisted as she sneered. "Uh-huh." The two women drew their blades simultaneously. Yugi raised his hands, smirking, and proceeded to dodge their attacks.

Then suddenly Shizuka muttered, "He'll die if you don't do something." Yugi flinched, giving Mai the opening she needed to wound him along the leg. The child hissed as he jerked backwards, putting distance between him and them. He tsked at himself, saying loudly so the other two could hear, "I forgot you were like this... Shizuka. You're known for ambiguous statements that disturb your opponent. I won't forget again." He laughed cheerfully, his smile warming.

"That's so cool! I never thought I'd run into you again. If only I had my sword." Mai's eyes narrowed. "Yes... such a shame." She lunged forward, but Yugi danced around her blade, holding a small one of his own to her neck. "Yes," the child lightheartedly conversed with her, "I don't have my sword. It's rather suspicious, you see, in a town as small as this. Still, this is good enough..?"

Suddenly he lithely leapt out of the way of Shizuka's flashing sword. However, he landed on his wounded leg, causing him to buckle. Using his hands, he pulled himself out of the way of Mai's slash. "You're good," he complimented them, breathing hard.

"I guess I should have been serious." Mai snickered. "Yeah right," she said, irritated. She leaned forward, staring hatefully at the young boy. Long blond hair fell into her eyes as she said slowly, "We are going to win, little kid. Just you wait. We'll-"

Her eyes caught a flash of movement, causing her to withdraw instinctively. Shizuka, who had stood behind her, fell with a thud. Mai turned to look, and heard a scramble. Yugi was gone. And Shizuka was dead, a small blade gleaming in the base of her throat.

"Yugi!" Yami said with relief as he spotted the small figure and recognizable hair. "There you are! Where were-" he broke off as he noticed the child's silence. Yugi looked up, violet eyes half-closed. Without a word the shadow picked him up, carrying him out of town.

Once they were deep in the woods he asked worriedly, "What happened? Are you okay? Yugi..." The child stirred a little at the sound of his name, and he mumbled, "Lost a lot of blood... from my right leg. Needs bandaging... and gotta watch out for Mai." Suddenly the ends of his mouth turned up. "Hey, where's my cupcakes?" Yami sighed, shaking his head. "Yugi, wait right here. I'll get bandages... and maybe, cupcakes, if you live." Yugi chuckled a little. "I will. After all that, this won't kill me."

His eyes drifted closed as he slumped over, sleeping. The shadow stood, jogging back to the town. Yugi opened his eyes, which were clouded and dull. "Mai," he greeted the woman. She snarled, her blade flashing. In that moment, he threw his last blade, which struck her temple. The woman keeled over, falling backwards. The child sighed, staring at her corpse.

"See? I didn't disrespect you this time." Yugi winced as his wound throbbed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, so... This chapter and the last one I'm a bit unsatisfied with, but they're kind of necessary and also I'm too lazy to do anything about them. Also... some of this was unnecessary, I guess, like the bird with the heart (you'll understand when reading) but it happened to me today (except it was a lizard) and, I don't know, thought I'd share the love... Being sarcastic here. Not that gross when you put it into words though. Oh well. If you enjoy this, you have lower standards than me - and that's totally cool. *sigh* Sorry. Not happy today.**

A small child lay slumped at the base of a tree, a corpse of a woman collapsed at his feet. He breathed shallowly as his eyes drifted open, then shut, as if the effort was painful. Blood from the woman pooled around him, as well as from a large gash on his leg.

Stained red, he barely stirred as a man came stumbling into the clearing. "Yugi!" the shadow cried, "Come on, we need to go!" Ignoring the corpse, he picked up the child as carefully as he could, running in the opposite direction of the town beyond the trees. Suddenly Yugi opened his eyes. Although they were clouded, they glared at Yami with anger.

"Put me-" he choked on his words. Yami glanced down, worried. "Are you okay enough to run?" Yugi shook his head, softly saying, "No, I'm not. Sorry." The child was shaking, and Yami gritted his teeth with frustration. They were regressing, he could feel it, but the world they were in really did not allow for softness. He kept running, wishing for more time.

Yugi looked up, seeing the man breathe unhurriedly. The boy noticed that they really do look alike, and he wondered if what Bakura had said was true. Idly, he wondered who Yami would meet after he died. Then he wondered who Yami had met before him.

The thought made him a little jealous, so he distracted himself by concentrating on watching out for anyone sneaking up on them. But then, he realized how tired he was. "Yami," he said suddenly, "who unlocked you last time?"

The man was silent for a while. Then Yugi felt him shrug. "I don't know… I don't remember much. A little's come back, but nothing really. I don't suppose you recognize me, Yugi?" The boy laughed at the odd question. "Me? Remember you? Considering the artifact you were in, I wasn't even born when it was created! No way would I have…"

He didn't finish his sentence, but his tone made it clear. He felt another shrug from Yami. He marveled at how convenient it was to be a soul - well, aside from the fact Yami probably had to die to achieve such a state. Suddenly Yugi wondered out loud, "It would be fun to see what it'd be like to die." Yami jerked, and nearly dropped the child. "What?" he said, shocked.

Yugi blinked. "Well… obviously, not die for real, but I've always wondered the amount of pain, awareness, etc. is factored into dying. And… I think you're dead. So are there ways to die without dying?" He caught sight of Yami's face as the man put him down.

"Oh, sorry," he said sheepishly. The boy glanced over Yami's shoulder. "Are we far enough?" Yami nodded. He stood, spinning, as if looking for something, but stopped as he thought of something he usually didn't ask. "Hey… Yugi? Who… who was your first kill? Do you remember?"

The boy's face was surprised, but calm. He even chuckled, albeit shakily, before saying, "Yes… with me, they actually started slowly, fatally injuring animals and telling me it'd be a mercy to kill them. I remember one time, there was this bird… they cut the skin so the heart was… sticking… out… and it was gasping. That was… pretty horrible at the time…"

He took a breath, his face ducked down. Yami wanted to tell him to stop, that he understood, but he didn't. Part of the reason, he thought, that Yugi was so 'shadowed' was because he was forced to be mature. Yami desperately wanted to know what had happened to the boy.

Finally Yugi continued speaking, "Anyways… My first kill was when I was ten. I still remember it because it was a queen and I was the executioner. It was odd. She smiled at me. It was a sad smile, too. But it didn't seem like she was sad for herself..?"

The boy sighed. "I still don't understand, even now. No one else has ever looked at me that way… except for maybe you. You are pretty strong… especially since you are a shadow!" He chuckled, looking happier. Then suddenly he yawned. "Maybe we should sleep," Yami suggested.

"Sounds good," Yugi agreed, looking up at the darkening sky.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! So... Even though I am terrible at writing narrations of groups, I have realized a story doesn't go so well with only two people. Hope you enjoy! Guess I'll give a little more story and simmer down on the excitement a bit. Just a bit, mind you. Enjoy!**

The boy knelt, his hands on the dry shoreline as he stared into the water. Violet eyes clashed with the yellow bangs that nearly brushed the surface, close as he was to the lake. "I've never seen a lake before," he said softly. The boy straightened up, glancing at the man beside him, before returning his attention to the water. "It's so still, it's like a mirror." He reached out a finger, brushing the surface, creating ripples across the reflection. The shadow nodded in agreement.

"It is like a mirror," Yami said. He crouched down by the boy, staring into the water himself. His reflection was faint - the result of the light passing through his body. "Have you really never seen a lake before?" Yugi nodded, sitting up and back, relaxing on the ground. His feet stretched out before him, the lake lapping at his heels. The shadow looked over at the child, wondering if his leg was as healed as he had claimed. Yugi had said it was fine... but Yami couldn't tell for himself, even though he thought it should take more than a few days for a wound of that size to heal adequately enough.

They had avoided town since then so the boy could rest, which the man suspected made Yugi more eager to be healthy. But what could he do? Especially since Yugi really did seem to be doing fine. He was shaken out of his thoughts when the boy suddenly said, "Look - there are two birds." Yami looked up, seeing a bright yellow bird hover over the lake. He caught a clear glimpse of it before it flew away, and looked questioningly at Yugi. "Wasn't there only one?"

The boy looked thoughtful. His head was tilted, his gaze on Yami as the child murmured, "I saw two. Reality and reflection. Which was the truth? Is it ours to say? Hard to know..." Yugi quieted, looking towards where the bird had gone. He reached out to Yami, and instinctively the shadow responded, their hands intertwining. The child looked at their grasp.

"We are reflections," the boy said, lifting their hands. He seemed to examine their locked fingers, studying them. Yami's scarlet eyes tried to do the same, wondering what the boy was seeing. Then the child remarked, "As if we are brothers, halves of a whole, or partners..."

Two pairs of eyes widened before closing shut, pressed tightly closed before relaxing. The child and shadow had felt something, at that word, but the moment passed unacknowledged. Yugi remarked, "Your hand, it feels... not cold or warm, but... dry?"

Yami shrugged, withdrawing his hand. The boy let go, leaning back again. "I want to visit a town again," he said softly. Yami's shoulders slumped. "Are you really well enough?" he asked worriedly. The child nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I am. A little raw, but I'm fine."

The shadow eyed Yugi's covered leg before nodding. "Okay," he said, but interrupted Yugi's cheer, "let's go tomorrow." The boy made a sound of acknowledgment, his expression still excited. He kept bouncing a little, until one of his blades loosened to the point where it bounced off him and into the lake. The boy quieted, staring at the rippled the blade had caused.

The shadow hadn't seen, and the boy ignored the moment, shrugging away the uneasiness that had clouded his eyes. Instead he tightened his other weapons, smirking a little at his carelessness. "Yami," he said slowly. The shadow's attention was snagged by the child. "Yes?"

"Do you suppose," the boy said carefully, "I mean, well. If we run into one of my old 'friends'... Can you die?" The man looked thoughtful. He stared into space for a while, then mumbled to himself a bit before saying, "I'm not sure. I don't think so - I don't seem to really be alive... I suppose I could be sealed, but even that might not be possible."

Yugi nodded, looking satisfied. He hummed a little as well, lying down completely on his back and staring up at the sky, which was bland gray caused by the dark clouds overhead. Then he tilted his head. "Hey, Yami?" The shadow made a noncommittal noise.

"Mm?" Yugi said, "Well... It's gonna rain soon. I don't... I... uh... get sick pretty easily. Maybe we should go now." The shadow looked up, bright scarlet eyes searching the sky. Despite his earlier admonishments, the man nodded, helping Yugi up. The pair began making their way through the woods.

In no time, water began dripping down through the canopy, flattening the child's wayward hair. Although the shadow couldn't get wet, soon everything around him was drenched, leaves bent double with rainwater, bark soaked until they were nearly black. Yugi's words were proved true as his pace slowed the further they traveled, and they both knew the next town was at least a day away. Sighing, Yami pulled Yugi up, carrying him once more.

"Thanks..." the boy sleepily mumbled. Other than him tiring, he appeared well, his breathing fine and his temperature still normal. The two figures moves through the sheets of rain, indistinct and dark against the lush forest scenery. The rain fell, letting up some several times throughout the day, but otherwise pouring down deafeningly.

As the sun began to set, lights became visible through the storm. The shadow's pace quickened, carrying him out of the treeline and into the town. It took him several more minutes, but he located an inn for them to stay at. He stood under the building's eaves, the child in his arms, for a few moments before entering. "Hello!" the person said, his tone amused as he spotted Yugi in Yami's arms. "Stormy night," he remarked. "Room for two?"

"Uh..." Yami had forgotten, in his haste, to gather (steal) coins for the room. And yet, how suspicious would it be if he did such a thing just after he says he has no money? He frowned slightly, debating what to do, but then a familiar voice called out, "Ah, they're with me."

"Okay," the person agreed cheerfully, while Yami turned in shock. It was the supposedly dead Bakura standing at the entrance to the hallway. The white-haired boy smiled sadly, seeming to understand the shadow's confusion. "Come in," he invited. Reluctantly, Yami set down Yugi on the bed, wrapping him in the blankets. Then he sat on a chair across from the one Bakura himself had settled into. They stared at each other.

"You're alive," Yami said. Bakura chuckled softly at that. Yami had barely seen the child, and that was when he was first unsealed, but he felt as if Bakura was more subdued than before. "I had a shadow too," Bakura admitted abruptly. "He was... well. Yugi killed him, mistaking me for him. Shadows and people look... they look a lot like each other."

The shadow knew this to be true, given his and Yugi's similarities in appearance. But then he realized what Bakura had said. "Yugi killed your shadow? Wait... he can do that?" Bakura shrugged. "I don't... know more than you do. Barely anything at all. But I know... my shadow is gone. Dead, somehow. I'm still here.."

"So I didn't kill you." They simultaneously turned, seeing Yugi sitting up in bed. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes had an unhealthy brightness to them, but his body was alert as he gazed at Bakura expressionlessly, seeming to think about something. "But how did you live..?" It became clear he hadn't heard anything before Bakura's admittance to not dying. And then he smiled.

"Right now... I'm glad you're not dead, Bakura!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey! Two chapters in one day, score! I'm having a bit of fun with this, and I hope you're enjoying this too. I love reading, but writing is it's own kind of adventure - and I love seeing where this one is going! Yes!**

The air was still as the white haired boy and the man stared almost guiltily at the child sitting in the bed, swathed in blankets from waist down. He was smiling, a sharp contrast to the atmosphere. His violet eyes flashed as he spoke, his tone slightly cold, "I am glad you're not dead, Bakura… but why? I assume you're telling Yami right now. Don't let me stop you."

Bakura shifted, his brown eyes flickering reluctantly. Yugi groaned. "Fine! Don't tell me!" he exclaimed, startling the pair. He moved as if to get out of bed, but ended up tangled in the sheets on the ground. He chuckled a little at himself, dragging his small body upright to consider the people in front of him. Finally Yami moved, supporting the child.

"You're sick and injured," he reminded the boy. Said invalid laughed, looking remorseful. "Yeah, it's a real drag, isn't it?" He sobered a little, allowing himself to be pulled back into bed. Bakura was still staring nervously as the shadow and child settled back down. "Well," he said at length, "I guess… well, I wanted to help you, since you've… escaped. I have money, and I figured you stay here - if you wanted - until you healed…" His voice trailed off, but Yami looked hopeful.

He glanced at Yugi. "It's fine, right?" But Yugi had fallen asleep. Yami laughed, and after a few moments Bakura did the same. "I'm glad," the white haired boy said under his breath. He made as if to stand, but fell awkwardly back onto his chair. The shadow glanced worriedly over at him. "Are you alright?" he asked. The boy grimaced, nodding. "My shadow was different," he explained.

"He was… well, not gentle. Rather abusive, and fairly controlling. Even though he could not hurt me, he certainly came close many times. So in a way, I'm better off… but you know how light shines brighter in the darkness? Once he became a living, sentient being, we could not exist without one another. And his absence from my side… weakened me a little. Honestly, it's a little frustrating."

Yami nodded, thinking of his connection with Yugi. He wondered if the child could kill him. He wondered about his past lives. The faint memories bothered him a little with their vague nostalgia. He wondered if he could die. Or if he was dead - but the thoughts were pushed aside as Bakura said, "You should sleep too. I know you can, and it's always better to have a fresh mind in the mornings."

The shadow nodded, agreeing. He glanced at the window, which was curtained, and asked, "What is this town called? We haven't been able to find a map… not that Yugi was looking for one, but still." Bakura smiled a little at that. "Mm," he agreed, "Yugi never really concentrates on serious things for too long. This town is called Domino City - and this inn is Game Es-Tart."

Yami tilted his head. The names seemed odd to him, and he reaffirmed, "Game Es-Tart? That's this inn's name?" Bakura nodded, looking sleepy. "Yeah," he repeated, "Game Es-Tart. Some people call it Game Start or just the inn, since it's the only one here, but it's really called Game Es-Tart." "Hm," was Yami's response. The thrum of the rain outside was loud, soothing him into sleep.

It was silent for a while, in the small room with three still bodies, the rain pouring down outside. Then the blankets moved as Yugi sat up, his eyes bright as they studied the two sleeping figures before him. Snickering softly, the child clambered out of bed soundlessly, crossing the room and leaving. In the hallway, he smiled, the innkeeper not giving him a second look.

It was only when he had been thoroughly soaked to the skin after walking a ways that he laughed delightedly. "You cannot kill me," he chuckled. Yugi looked up at the cloudy sky, his eyes glinting, the shadows causing his irises to appear a muddy brown. "For I am the shadows, and the shadows never die…" He looked towards the inn again, seeming amused.

"Isn't that right, Yami?" The man stepped out of the shadows, looking grave. "Yugi… you're sick and injured. What are you doing? What are you talking about?" The boy shrugged, his expression abruptly seeming bored. Ignoring the man, he turned and walked back into the building, receiving an angry glance from the innkeeper for dripping all over the floor.

He didn't make it into the room before Yami grabbed the child's arm. "Yugi? Come on, tell me what's wrong." His grip loosened as the child looked back at him. The shadow didn't recognize the boy's eyes - a muddy brown, different from their clear violet. Too different for a trick of the light, but the boy wrenched away too quickly for Yami to be sure of what he had seen. "Yugi?" he said, following the boy into the room, but there was only Bakura and a wide-open window. The boy gazed at Yami, wide-eyed and sad. "What is it?" Yami asked, panicking. The boy's next words stopped him cold.

"That was… my shadow."


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm having fun, but the story is escaping from me. It probably doesn't help I'm so impatient... I apologize, I'll try to slow down a bit. I'm jealous of writers who can keep their cool. Oh well... I hope you enjoy this anyway. *smiles* Have fun reading, I hope! Oh, and I'm a little sad only one person reviewed. Lots of thanks for that!**

The quiet of the room was shattered by a child with brown eyes and silvery black hair. His skin was pale, a sharp contrast to his feverish red cheeks. He smirked at the white haired boy and red eyed man standing in the room, facing each other. The action incensed the boy. "Leave me alone!" he said sharply, stumbling towards the window. His hand was raised to slap the other child, but in that instant child wavered, his eyes closing as he slumped against the window sill.

"Yugi?" the man asked cautiously, walking forward. The child barely stirred, moaning a little as he tried. His eyes opened halfway, and Yami caught a glimpse of violet irises. "It's Yugi," Yami and Bakura said at the same time. The child chuckled as the pair glanced at each other, startled. "It's me," he whispered. He pulled away from them gently, seeming to consider something.

Suddenly he said, "I remember - because Bakura, your shadow remembered. As always, only you forgot, Yami." The shadow blinked at his name, and said worriedly, "Yugi, what are you talking about?" The child shrugged. He hoisted himself onto the sill, letting his legs dangle down as he said, "You have faint memories, right? Yami, we used to be… we used to be partners."

Yami, who had been reaching out to the child, froze. He pulled back slightly. Yugi glanced at Bakura. "And you," he added, "are as innocent as always. Fate really seems to have it in for you, using you to set things in motion." The child sighed, sounding older than he looked. He raised his hands, palms upward, staring at them as if they were snakes.

Hesitantly, Bakura reached out to the child, putting his hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Yugi? What's wrong?" The boy looked up at him, smiling sadly. "I can't cry, not even now," he said, his tone one of despair. "And I am me and I am him… Is he me? Why? I have emotions I shouldn't have, because I am someone I wasn't moments ago…" His voice trembled along with his hands. The child moaned, ducking his head into his hands and leaning into Bakura, shaking.

"Useless," he muttered. Looking up, he winked, his eye reopening to reveal one muddy brown iris and one violet orb. "Anyway, don't worry. We won't cause any trouble for now - when the rain lets up, let's explore this town. We still don't understand the connection." He laughed, swinging himself into the room and turning to look out the window. "Game Es-Tart… Game Start… Sounds promising."

A cough from behind him caused Yugi to look at Yami, one eyebrow raised. "Sorry, we can't tell you what's going on," Yugi said firmly. Yami looked angry, saying hotly, "All I'm trying to do is help you, but I don't understand what you're going through. Why… are you referring to yourself as 'we'? Acting strange? Talking about memories and… and partners…"

The child solemnly walked over to the shadow, letting his hand hover where the shadow's shoulder was. The man quieted, looking down at the child. "W- I am sorry," Yugi murmured. "But it will be okay. You still have u- me. I will stay by your side."

He sighed. Then smiled - a bright smile, one that made him look the youth he was. "Hey, since we're exploring town tomorrow, what should we do? Maybe we can find a game store, I hear there's one down the street? Can we, please?" Wide-eyed and innocent, without a trace of the weight he had shown earlier, all Yami could do was reply, "Um… sure, that's fine." Bakura joined the shadow to watch as Yugi went out the door, saying he wanted to go shower for a moment, and change.

"...Do you know what's going on?" Yami asked the boy at his side. The boy shook his head. "Sort of," he admitted after, "but not really." The shadow groaned, sitting down. Yugi poked his head in. "There's also a cafe," he said excitedly, "we could go there, and play whatever games we had gotten! How does that sound?" Yami nodded distractedly. "Sure," he replied off-handedly. A hurt expression crossed Yugi's face, and he spun away without another word.

In the bathroom, he slid to the floor, sitting cross-legged. His head was leaned back against the wall as he stared at the ceiling, one violet eye slowly darkening to brown. "Perhaps Yami really is meant to help me," Yugi murmured. "If he and you are shadows of me and Bakura. But… doesn't it feel like there's something more? Something that should be…"

"The stupid king," he scoffed, his tone cold. "And you, Yugi… honestly. I thought you learned something from me? There were seven - Bakura still has mine, so-" His voice abruptly turned cheerful, "I'm safe for now, right? But Yami has his own. And that leaves-" The child's tone changed again, as he sighed. "Yugi, Yugi, obviously fate has something in store for you. But what? That's what we need to focus on. In this life, you are a killing machine…" He looked thoughtful.

"Well, maybe this time, instead of Yami fighting and you being his support, you have to fight." The boy groaned, looking depressed. "Bakura… I'm going to have fun tomorrow. It will probably be my last chance to do so, so leave me alone until then."

He scrambled to his feet, glancing at the closed door. "We have a lot of work to do."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey! Love it, hate it, at least _say_ something, guys. Being favorited and followed's just got me glowing with pride, but a coupl'a reviews'd be nice too, folks. _C'est la vie_ has a nice ring to it - unfortunately I don't understand french. Ah, well, what can you do?... What was I talking about?... Right. Reviews, people! Please! And hopefully you enjoy this next installment of Children Who Fight Without Crying! _Ciao_! For the record, I don't speak Italian either...**

"A deck, a deck, my kingdom for a deck of cards," the boy muttered, running his hand through his unruly hair as he stared mournfully at the shelves before him. From beneath blond bangs, violet eyes flickered to and fro as they sought out the objects that simply did not exist in front of him. He sighed, leaning back to stare at the higher shelves, trying to compensate of his height.

Another boy came over, his long white hair bright in the dim store as he looked up as well. "Yugi," he said, sounding aggrieved, "we aren't going to find any here." Yugi slumped his shoulders, looking sad. "I thought they'd have something," he complained. "But all they have are weird games I don't recognize." His companion glanced at him, looking apprehensive.

"To be fair, I don't think you had much chance to learn any game, much less cards. How do you know that?" The child ignored him, still studying the shelves. He turned his head to stare back at the person examining the other walls. "Yami," he said. "I think maybe we'll have to make some cards, instead of find some." The shadow nodded in agreement, abandoning his search.

Waving cheerfully at the disgruntled shopkeeper, Yugi skipped out of the store ahead of his companions, reveling in the morning light. The rain had long passed, and the boy observed the village, everything dripping in the sunlight. "It's still wet," he muttered, kicking at a puddle at his feet. He squinted, holding up one hand as he looked up at the sky.

"This is inconvenient," he said slowly, his eyes glinting brown. He glanced at the store where his companions were emerging before saying thoughtfully, "Maybe playing a game would be fun. Who knows if he still has skills." Smiling gleefully, the child stretched out his hands as if asking for food. In his palms, two stacks of cards slowly materialized, turning dark and corporeal.

Laughing joyfully, he turned to the shadow and boy, blinking hard. Violet irises glimmered with excitement as he said, "I made some cards! Do you know how to play?" The man tilted his head, picking up one card and turning it this way and that. Finally he shook his head, gesturing the unfamiliar symbols. "No… though I am sure I would be able to if you explained it to me."

Yugi smiled, reaching up, his fingers nearly caressing Yami's face. "Yami, it's easy. You've done it before. One match, just the two of us." But then he laughed, tossing the cards into the air. They vanished without a trace as he walked towards a building along the street. As his companions hurried to follow, he said carelessly, "Perhaps we should eat."

He giggled as he thought about it. "I mean, shouldn't we? I am hungry." As he walked off, Bakura had a grin on his face. "You are happy?" Yami asked curiously. The boy nodded a little. "Mm," he admitted, "I'm actually having fun. Last night was so nerve-wracking… Besides, I really did miss Yugi before." He chuckled, his eyes closed as he walked beside the shadow.

"Turtle Soup?" The voice startled them out of their conversation, each looking at where Yugi pointed. "Wow," the child laughed, "I didn't know that was a food!" He reached out a hand but then drew it back. "Kame," he murmured. Abruptly he turned around, nearly jogging as he headed in the opposite direction. "Yugi?" Yami called out, pulling Bakura along as he kept up with the child easily.

Yugi smiled up at him, laughing and pointing. "Yami, look!" he giggled. "There's a musician!" The man looked up, his expression changing as he heard the music. The three ran towards the crowd, each one filled with happiness as they listened to the person's songs.

Suddenly the musician laughed. His golden eyes flashed as he winked at the crowd, his long platinum hair covering half his face. "No one wants to dance to my tunes?" he said jokingly. To his friend's astonishment Yugi walked forward. "May I?" he said, tilting his head. "Of course!" the musician replied, smiling. He struck up a tune that was wild and fast.

The child giggled, spinning with his arms out. The townspeople clapped along, and Yami and Bakura watched as their friend danced clumsily but good-naturedly. Suddenly Yugi's movements grew lithe, his limbs and expression growing serious. His dance was beautiful, but fey, causing the onlookers to quiet in awe. But his companion's eyes widened in horror.

Very subtly, one eye darkened to a muddy brown. His hair flew behind him from the speed of his dance, and lengthened slightly, shining a silvery white when the sunlight reflected off it. The child sang a long to the musician's tune, singing, "Golden sands that were my home, frozen in the depths of night. My only refuge, the land I knew."

He laughed again, spinning happily. He looked up at Yami, reaching out and grabbing the shadow's hands. Shocked, the man pulled away. "Okay," the child said. He laughed again, throwing his hands above his head. A deafening roar of applause came from the townspeople as Yami and Bakura watched Yugi return to the boy they always knew.

In an alley, hidden from their sight, a muffled scream rang out.


	10. Chapter 10

**Oh, I managed one more today! Writer's block conquered!... For now, anyway. Yay! Yay! Oh, this world continues to flourish, unlike the neglected worlds that have surely gathered dust and spiderwebs... Hope you enjoy! Sayonara!**

"I didn't know you could dance like that!" a white-haired boy exclaimed. His tone was a mixture of surprise and curiosity as he stared in awe at the boy in front of him. The child laughed, saying, "It was kind of like a game to me - I was just pretending I was fighting, and it turned out better than I thought!" He grinned, looking happy. "But where did Yami go?" he asked.

Bakura shrugged, looking uneasy. "I don't know. He said he heard something, so I was going to wait for him. We sang and dance so much, it's getting dark, isn't it?" The children sighed together, then laughed sheepishly. "Maybe we should look for him," Yugi suggested. Worry began to show on his face as he thought about it. "Yeah, come on, Bakura!"

They started running, looking throughout the town. "Where could he be?!" Yugi said, groaning. He looked around, but then realized something. "Bakura," he said hesitantly, holding onto his companion's shirt to stop him from moving, "Are we lost?"

The boy looked around, and both the children's faces fell. "Yes," Bakura said, horrified. Yugi blinked, turning away. "God, how did I get lost so easily? Stupid, that's what it is." The child's manner changed, looking sad as he glanced around. "Come on," he said, glancing towards the roof. "If we go up there, we should be able to find a way out." Bakura nodded, following Yugi to the rooftop.

They looked around, but everything looked different in the darkness. They sat, looking out helplessly over the maze of rooftops. "Maybe we should…" Bakura started, but then shrugged. "I don't know what to do." The two children stood, and without a plan, began to walk, clambering over the roofs silently. They made no noise through talking or walking, figures in the night.

Then Yugi slipped, falling. He caught himself at the rim of the roof, dropping softly to the ground before groaning. "Are you okay?" Bakura asked fearfully, leaping down after his friend. The boy reached out to Yugi, but the child pulled away, saying. "I am fine, but we need to go."

"Why? What happened?" Bakura asked, still worrying. Yugi tilted his head, smiling weakly. "I am fine… I am fine. But someone with weapons is here." The white-haired boy paled at the mention of someone like that. "I wonder who it is?" he fretted out loud.

He had not expected Yugi to answer his question. "Honda," the child muttered. "Eh?" Bakura said, startled. Louder, Yugi explained, "It's Honda. He is… the best at this sort of attack. Besides, I'd recognize this weapon anywhere." He held up a kunai with an odd symbol on it. Bakura stared at it, murmuring, "Oh, Honda? I don't remember him that well."

Yugi nodded. "Yes… Jounouchi will probably be here as well, they are close." His voice had taken on an odd inflection. Bakura glanced at him as they ran, and then realized, "That blade! Your blood is on it?" Yugi nodded. "Not deep though. It startled me, that is why I fell."

Bakura breathed out a sigh. Then he was startled as Yugi muttered, "Damn it! What if that uptight king gets hurt? Without him, everything doesn't fit together!" Hesitantly Bakura asked, "King? What do you mean?" Yugi turned his head to him.

Brown eyes glinted from the blond bangs as he said mockingly, "Come now, Yami, I meant Yami. He is a shadow, but not invincible. If he encounters another shadow, there's little chance if he can't recall anything. Last time, the first shadow he met was Pegasus - well, shadow artifact, at least." Bakura could barely follow what the child was saying. "What did… uh… Pegasus look like?"

The brown-eyed child looked thoughtful. "Huh. I forget. A platinum, long-haired man. We hadn't realized he had a shadow artifact at first, because it was a golden eye covered by-" He skidded to a stop. "That musician!" he exclaimed suddenly, his tone making the words sound like a curse. He ran even harder, Bakura asking desperately, "Musician?"

Yugi nodded, his eyes glinting bright violet. His expression was worried. "Yes! I just realized, that man, he resembles Pegasus!" The breathing of the two children became increasingly ragged, but Yugi only sped up until they located the area they had been at earlier.

Yami was standing there, looking panicked. "Yugi! Bakura!" he exclaimed. "Where were you? I was worried!" The two panted for a moment, unable to speak until Bakura managed, "Yami… we… there's a… a…" "An assassin!" Yugi interrupted forcefully. "We need to find him immediately!" He held out the bloodied kunai as proof of this statement. Yami did a double-take at the revealing of the weapon. The shadow examined it for a minute before saying, "Shouldn't we run?"

"No!" Yugi said forcefully. His violet eyes were narrowed as he said, "The owner of this weapon, I need for him to die." He stepped to the right, a kunai shooting past his shoulder. At the same time, a figure stepped out of a nearby alley.

"Hello," Jounouchi said, sneering.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry, sorry! Didn't have internet for a while, but don't worry! I worked off-line in my absence! Enjoy! Speed-updating here.**

The man held up his hands, looking weary. "Please, Yugi... We need to discuss your past in full one day, with a nice, maybe detailed, list of who hates you and wants to kill you." Two children stood at his side, facing the second man with blond hair emerging from the alley. The dark-haired boy shrugged. "Not my fault. Honest." Beside him, the white-haired boy paled, looking fearful.

Jounouchi laughed. "Pair o' jesters," he said angrily, twirling his weapon in hand. His sneer transformed into a self-satisfied smirk. "Let's see who's laughing in a couple minutes," he continued, stalking towards the threesome. Yugi glanced over at Bakura. "Hey... Can you fight?" The pale boy gestured towards Jounouchi, clearly telling Yugi the assailant was all his. Smiling, the child took a few steps towards his former comrade. His head was bent down as Jounouchi said, "Stay where you are. Or Honda nicks the neck o' one o' your friends there.

Yugi giggled, looking up. Dark eyes were shadowed by silvery black bangs as he said laughingly, "Friends?" He took another step, swinging his sword happily. "Aw, but they'll be fine. I trust them. You, on the other hand... are no king." The child lunged forward, his sword clanging on Jounouchi's. The child chuckled, whipping his blade around. The man's eyes shined with hatred as he growled, "Freak." The two battled, their clashes causing a cacophony in the street.

A vicious grin had split the child's face as he battled, losing himself in the fight. So when he heard a noise that did not come from his foe, he was disoriented, jerking back to earn himself a cut on his arm. Ignoring the sting, he parried another blow, trying to shake off the disorientation. Then he heard it - "Yugi!" - and this time he leapt back, turning to see Yami reaching out towards him. He saw a bloody mess in the background before instinctively skipping to the left, feeling something shoot past him.

It passed through the shadow harmlessly, then slammed into the ground, revealing itself to be a kunai. Yugi sighed. "What a failure of a king," he tsked, walking forward. Ignoring the stunned Jounouchi behind him, he leaned down, grasping the kunai. In one swift movement, he pulled it out and threw it, a loud curse heard soon after. "There we go," the child said casually, leaping back into battle with the now-recovered blonde. Yami and Bakura stared as the fray gradually transformed into a flurry of blurs they could barely follow. "Yugi is strong," Bakura murmured, just loud enough for the shadow to hear. "That is the only thing I regret in leaving. I am... weaker now."

"But kinder," Yami added. A soft, tired chuckled came from the child. "Kinder," he muttered bitterly. "Until all I am known by is the cold gravestone." The boy sighed. It a melancholic sound that made the shadow's own heart resonate with sympathy. He hesitantly reached out, but then pulled back. This boy was not his to comfort. It was his shadow's, who seemed to have failed. He shook the thoughts from his head, returning his attention to the battle. The shadow's real charge was fighting hard beyond him.

"You've always been a freak," Jounouchi jeered, hoping to catch the agile child off-balance. "Acting all mature one minute, childish the next. No one does that - no wonder you've never had any friends!" Yugi ignored the man's taunts. Having lived with them, they fell flat - even if he hated the words. Suddenly one insult slipped past his defenses - "I bet even those guys behind you think you're a freak." He flinched, his opponent scoring a hit on his leg, parallel to his older wound. Jounouchi's eyes narrowed as he realized Yugi was hesitating. "Come on," he scoffed, stalking closer. "I bet they'll leave you, too - just like how Honda and I left you once we realized what you were!" He swung his blade down, surprised when he met resistance. Dark brown eyes glared up at him from beneath pale hair. A snarl twisted Yugi's lips as he lunged forward, going on the offensive.

Jounouchi fought hard, but his foe's blade flashed down and he lost grip on his sword, which was quickly kicked away by Yugi. The child kicked the fighter away, his chest heaving. "Shut up," he growled, his hands whitening as his grip tightened. He stepped back as a kunai thudded into the space he just occupied. "Recovered, Honda?" he asked snarkily. He laughed hatefully. "Your friend here is in no shape to fight. Better take him back to recover." Silence ensued. "I'll let you," Yugi said, in a tone that wasn't altogether reassuring. Slowly, a dark-haired figure walked out of the shadows, grasping Jounouchi and pulling him into the alley. The tension was broken by Bakura as he said, bewildered, "You left them alive."

Yugi nodded, sheathing his sword. Hesitantly Yami asked, "Is that… unusual?" Both children laughed, their voices laced with sadness. "Yes," Bakura answered him. "If we don't, usually they come back to stab us in the back later. Honestly… Yugi, I've never seen you leave someone alive before - unless it was a mock fight, but how many years has it been since your last one?... Yugi?" The child was silent. The man and boy fancied they could see Yugi calming down from the encounter. The child's eyes remained murky, and his hair tinged with silver, as he turned and replied, "They used to be my friends. My only ones…"

He didn't say anything else, and Yami tried, "Well, it's good you left them alive. It's not good for the soul to kill too often." He was startled by the child's outburst as Yugi snapped, "No, it's not fine. It's probably why they were sent in the first place. One of the few I have memories with. I hate them, I hate them, but I miss who they were!" His chest was heaving. His shadow, observing him, remarked softly, "It's okay to cry." Yugi looked away, so it was Bakura who replied, "It's not. Not really. Crying… is a tangible weakness. Even I, who left Strife so long ago, have this engraved in my heart. Right, Yugi?" The child nodded in agreement. The man stared at the two for a while, wondering, not for the first time, and definitely not for the last, what sort of world had children go through so much. But he didn't ask it out loud.

Instead he said, "How about we find that musician you talked about?" The words had the opposite effect he had intended. Yugi turned and glanced at him suspiciously. "Musician..? How did you know? I don't think we had time to tell you that." The shadow looked just as confused. He stammered, not knowing what to say. Then Yugi's eyes closed, as if in pain, groaning. "Are you okay, Yugi?" Yami asked worriedly. The child hissed. His eyes opened, shining violet as he stared at the ground.

Leaning down, he used the blade of a knife to sketch images into the ground. After a minute, he stood, and Bakura gasped. "That's the shadow artifact I had!" he exclaimed, pointing to one image. It was one of seven objects Yugi had drawn, the boy crouching and nodding. He pointed to a sketch of Yami's golden object, saving the shadow from searching for it on his own. "These," the boy said, scratching out three images, "are lost forever. I won't explain how, but they were destroyed. We have these," he circled Bakura's and Yami's. Before he could continue, the pale-haired boy interrupted, saying in confusion, "Yugi, you… uh… broke mine." Yugi laughed. "That's right," he agreed amiably. "Still, it's shadow remains intact, and that's all we care about." His eyes and hair changed briefly, before resuming their original form. Bakura nodded, understanding.

"He's in you," he said quietly, Yami realizing it at the same time. The shadow felt conflicted. After all, he was Yugi's shadow. The thought of another in the boy made him uncomfortable, but Yugi ignored them, plowing ahead. "So we need to look for these," he continued, pointing to the two remaining objects. One looked like an eye, and the other a key. Yugi smiled.

"The musician probably has this one," he announced, pointing to the eye.


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry, sorry! Didn't have internet for a while, but don't worry! I worked off-line in my absence! Enjoy! Speed-updating here.**

"I haven't found him," a boy with white hair said dejectedly as he walked into the room. His two companions, a man with a golden puzzle, and a boy with black hair and blond bangs, looked discouraged. "We'll never find him," the man sighed. He glanced at the boy beside him, who shrugged. "I'm sure you can guess what I found, Bakura. Don't look that way - we'll find him eventually." He laughed into the silence, looking at the ceiling. "Maybe we have to go to the next town," he suggested.

His friends groaned in unison. "That'll take forever," Bakura pointed out. "And we just survived a fight from your old 'buddies,' Yugi," Yami complained, leaning back to lie down on the bed. "A break… just one." Yugi grinned, turning his head to look out the window. "Okay," he said, his tone compliant. Yami looked up from the bed. "Really?" he said, disbelief coloring his voice.

"Yes," Yugi continued, his face innocent as can be, "it'd be better to wait until it's raining. That way, one of you guys can fight next time, because I'll be too sick." Bakura and Yami pulled faces, each reluctantly beginning to get up. The child chuckled as he watched them. He hopped to his feet, humming all the way out of town. "What's the next town called?" Yami asked Bakura.

Looking apprehensive, the pale-haired boy said, "It's known for it's… ah, rough and tumble citizens. So no one calls it by it's real name - just Duelist Kingdom. There's actually a castle, built with traps, that challengers can enter." Yami sighed. "Yugi!" the shadow griped. The child smiled serenely. "Sounds like a nice place," was his only comment. Yami shook his head as he watched the child skip away.

Bakura laughed at Yami's reaction. "It really is nice," he told the shadow. "In a world like this, a fair challenge is hard to come by. That's what Duelist Kingdom is all about - though of course, you'll find people who play unfairly even there." Yami shook his head. "A game does sound like fun," he conceded, "but still, you can't exactly blame me for being nervous."

He stopped as a fruit hit his head. The man looked up to see Yugi, his hair tinged with silver, as the child balanced on a branch with a mischievous look on his face. "Pay attention, king!" the child laughed, "or next thing you know, you'll be run through with a sword!" The child snickered harder, but Yami tilted his head, seeming curious. "Why do you call me king?" the shadow asked. Yugi stopped laughing, looking frustrated. "Remember it yourself," he snapped, lobbing another fruit at Yami. The shadow ducked, the item passing harmlessly over his head. "Missed," Yami said, smiling despite himself.

Yugi shook his head, muttering to himself. A second later he dropped back to the ground, complaining to Bakura, "Come on! I swear, his memory's as bad as ever!" Bakura looked nervous. "Hello," he said. Yugi rolled his dark eyes at the boy. "Don't be like that - I've turned over a new leaf now, you can trust me. Besides… technically, while I'm the shadow you fear, I'm also still Yugi." He chuckled.

"Hurry up," Yami called back to the children, who noticed they had stopped walking. Yugi skipped cheerfully forward, Bakura trailing behind. When they caught up, the silvery-black haired boy eyed the tree they were passing under. "Be careful," he said, climbing the gnarled trunk effortlessly. Yami glanced up, unconsciously rubbing the back of his head. "I guess… Yugi… Or his alter-ego…"

"What about Ryou?" Bakura said, not looking at him. Yami glanced at the boy. "What?" Looking uncomfortable, Bakura said, "He's not really… you have a name, but he doesn't. And we can't just call him my shadow all time. How about Ryou? I just thought of it." Yami nodded. "Okay," he agreed, "let's ask." He tilted his head upwards, calling out, "Hey! Yugi! When you… oh, how do I say this? Bakura's shadow! Can we call you Ryou?" A peal of laughter sounded as brown eyes flashed at him.

They waited, but the child gave no other response. "I guess he likes it," Yami remarked. "Ryou certainly is odd. But he and Yugi seem to fit together well…" Bakura looked up, noting, "You sound sad." The shadow nodded, still watching the child above them. "I am," he admitted. "I… I don't know. Yugi… he was the one to unlock me, so I thought… I was his shadow. And I am, but the way he merged with Ryou is…"

They walked together in silence. The shadow started as Yugi hung upside-down from a branch in front of him, grinning. "King," the boy chuckled, "from the top of the trees, I could see the castle! It's so cool, just like the last one. History really does repeat itself. Boring, but what can you do?" He laughed at Yami's confused expression. "Oh, never mind. Anyways, pick up the pace! Also, I can hear you." His face grew sad, his eyes glimmering violet briefly. "Only we remember. Sorry, Yami. But you don't understand." His eyes flashed brown as he giggled, tumbling onto the ground. Humming, he walked alongside them for a while.

Bakura said curiously, "Yugi… You've never really explained… Exactly what your 'memories' are." The child looked thoughtful. "I guess not," he agreed. "Will you believe me?" His companions nodded. Smiling, he said, "Alright, then." He walked a little in silence before beginning, "The thing is… this has happened before. We - Bakura, myself, everyone - were different people then. Softer, just as the world was softer. I guess reincarnation happens after all. If souls can be sealed in gold items with powers beyond men, it's not much of a stretch. But we… all died. Died at the wrong time, before we should have. That's how some of the items were destroyed, why things are different now. We failed, and war happened. Ryou was sealed again by then, and since these memories are his, neither of us really know how the world got so messed up."

The child took a breath, sounding sad as he continued, "I won't tell you the details - that time is dead and long past. But I think we - and the people in our lives - were reincarnated to… end the cycle." He chuckled bitterly. "Remembering who I was is ridiculous, now. Anyway, Bakura unsealed Ryou. The spirit, who, like before, remembered everything, had the kid get out and bide his time." He paused. "Probably a good move," he admitted. That was when Anzu was…" The child shook his head. "Then, just a few days ago… it fells like weeks! So just a few days ago, the shadow and him snuck in, found me, who found you, Yami… and you know what happened from there," Yugi finished.

The child laughed. "When I said 'end the cycle,' I'm not sure how we'll do that. But the shadow artifacts are definitely a key part in all of this, so we'll need to get the remaining two. Pegasus… the musician… the golden eye is, well, his eye. It's covered by his hair, and it's been so long, so I forgot for a while. My mistake. But we need to track him down." The boy's eyes lit up.

"And there's Duelist Kingdom!" he said happily, as light filtered through from the trees ahead of them.


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry, sorry! Didn't have internet for a while, but don't worry! I worked off-line in my absence! Enjoy! Speed-updating here.**

The city was festive that day, markets packed with excited people as they passed by vendors with goods of all sorts, a colorful array of ribbons visible on the castle walls. Crowds swelled with the sound of conversation, people passing by each other as they got on with their daily lives. Despite the fervor of the crowds, it was merely everyday life for the townsfolk. In the middle of a square sat a large stone fountain, with a rim where several people sat. One cluster stared, wide-eyed at the crowds surrounding them.

"Wow," the boy with white-haired said, awed, "Even though I heard of this place, it's still amazing to actually see it!" The child next to him nodded eagerly, staring. The man beside them commented, "It doesn't seem like a rouch and tumble sity, though." The boy shrugged, saying, "Not all the time. Besides, this is the market place. Best area to start - more people with money and less without. Thieves, of course," he glanced slyly at the man, "but we don't have to worry too much right now."

Violet eyes peeked out of blond bangs as the child asked, "So when so people get to enter the castle?" Bakura laughed. "What about… er, Pegasus was his name, right?" Yugi nodded, his eyes far away. Amused at his friend's captivation, Bakura said, "It's open to the public. Really well-built, so no one cares too much about how it works. The reward is just the reputation, so only intent challengers go there." As he said these things, the boy could tell his friend wasn't listening to him. So he gave up.

The shadow stood, saying, "He's a musician, right? Let's see if we can find him earning money." The other two got up reluctantly, still fatigued from their long walk. As they meandered through the stalls, they were all staring at the sights around them. "Hey," Yugi suddenly exclaimed, "let me give it a shot!" His companions looks up, startled, as the child made his way to a man sitting cross-legged on a mat, three cups laid out before him. The man smiled indulgently at the boy. "Are you sure? Money if you win, but money for me if you lose."

The onlookers laughed, but Yugi confidently flicked a coin at the man, winking. "Bring it on." As the rules were explained, Bakura whispered to Yami, "I really think we should keep looking." Yami stared at Yugi, but nodded. "Okay," he agreed, as they kept walking. The group had already set the time and meeting place - the fountain at sunset. He tried to reassure himself, but his brow remained furrowed with worry as he and Bakura left Yugi behind at the gambler.

The child, meanwhile, flicked silver-tinged hair over his shoulder, studying his opponent's cups. It was an easy game, something that Ryou had played often before. The rock - or dice, in this case - was placed into one cup, and switched skillfully around by the man until he stopped, and the challenger made a guess at which cup the object was in. The child was tempted to slice the man's head off and just take the money, but he enjoyed the thrill of the challenge, both Ryou and Yugi. Even though they were aware the man was cheating.

A brilliant, if simple method. The man simply flipped one cup up as he spun them around, and the dice was tossed into his long sleeve. Even if the challenger guessed right, they were 'wrong'. Smiling mischeivously, Ryou didn't bother watching the cups, instead watching the man's hand. He waited… and saw the wrist bend. He shifted his sitting position, shaking the ground so that the dice was off-balance and fell back into the cup. Now he watched, and pointed it out with a smile.

"Sorry," the man said, "but you're-" He stopped dead at the sight of the dice. Yugi laughed, winking one murky eye as he snatched up the money before walking away. He was satisfied with the outcome, and became slightly annoyed as he looked around to find that neither Yami or Bakura had stayed to watch. Shrugging, he walked through the bustling marketplace, lazily only paying attention once in a while, reasoning the musician would stand out enough where he'd notice even if he didn't try.

He was proven right when he saw his companions and the musician. The child watched them, amused. From where he stood, he saw them arguing with the musician, who had his hands raised. Then he strolled over. "Yugi," the shadow said, sounding exasperated, "all we did was-" Bakura interrupted, "This is him, right?' The musician looked aggrieved as they ignored him. Yugi smirked, addressing the musician, "I was wondering, can I dance to your tune again?" The musician perked up, clearly recognizing him.

"Alright, little boy," he agreed, before shooting his friends dirty looks, "as long as your friends stop asking me to show them my eyes. What an odd request! Enough to drive anyone mad!" Yugi nodded amiably, fighting down his laughter at his companion's tactlessness. Shaking off Ryou's influence, he listened to the music, warming up his limbs a little before performing a dance similar to his last one. As agile as he was in a fight, the child's dance drew a crowd of spectators.

"Come on!" he said happily, grabbing Bakura. Before the boy knew what was happening, Yugi was pulling him around and around. "W-wait!" he panicked, but then Yugi let go of him. He lunged forward, causing Bakura to instinctively duck and roll, ending in a crouch, facing Yugi. The child smiled, nodding. "It's just fighting," he laughed, 'attacking' Bakura once more. Their lithe movements - though slightly clumsy on Bakura's part - had the people clapping. Eventually more people joined in, the musician playing a myriad of tunes for them to dance to. The children ran out of breath, rejoining Yami on the sidelines.

He shook his head at them, laughing. "That could be a fallback," he joked. "Being a performer." Bakura shook his head, his face bright red as he breathed raggedly. Yugi, on the other hand, was laughing just as joyfully. "That would be fun," he agreed. "Anyway, see? He's in a better mood now. Short of killing him, we won't get his artifact if he's grumpy." He chuckled, glancing through the audience to watch the musician. "Pegasus," he murmured, "I'll get you this time. I swear it."

Absentmindedly, he added, "Oh - the eye can read minds, by the way." His friends gaped at him. "Why didn't you tell us?" Bakura asked urgently. Yugi shrugged, saying, "Well… all you thought of was taking his eye, right?" At the nods of grudging agreement he said, "That's not important enough to hide." He snickered. "In fact… since he can't read my mind, that's perfect." Smiling to his friends, Yugi's hair shot through with silver, his eyes darkening. In a few seconds, he exhaled.

"So - let's play a game," Ryou said.


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry, sorry! Didn't have internet for a while, but don't worry! I worked off-line in my absence! Enjoy! Speed-updating here. And this one's a little short, but oh well. You win some, you lose some.**

Surrounded by music and people, the man smiled as he took in the festivities. His fingers skillfully ran the bow over his violin, although the action almost idle, his posture relaxed until he noticed a boy with silvery hair walking towards him. A little uneasy, the man stared intently at the boy, but could find nothing wrong with him. Eventually the boy rew level with the man.

"Hello," the child said agreeably. He was smiling, his murky eyes staring at the man. Nodding, the man introduced himself, "I am Pegasus. Can I help you?" The boy glanced around, looking lost. "Ah, yes," he admitted. "I was dared to play a game with you, the musician, and win… will you play with me?" Pegasus agreed, setting his violin aside in anticipation for the game.

His smile growing wider, the boy said, "Thanks. My name is Ryou." He produced a deck of cards, and shuffled them. He explained, "I figured something simple, something based on luck, would be best. We each pick a card. Whichever one has the most stars wins."

Pegasus nodded, selecting a card. The boy did as well. The man thought he saw something flicker over the boy's face - a shadow? - but it was gone as quickly as it came, then Ryou exclaimed, "Okay!" They each revealed their cards. Pegasus's had five, while Ryou's had six. "That's a shame," Pegasus muttered, turning his card around to examine it. An unfamiliar creature was on it.

"What is this?" he questioned the boy, but the child was nowhere to be seen. Pain flared in his left eye, warm liquid trickling from it. Grunting, the man reached up to touch his cheek. When he brought his hand down, it was covered in red. And he could no longer see from his left eye, the golden eye - it was gone. Cursing quietly, he looked at the card again. The beast seemed to laugh at him.

Whistling in self-satisfaction, the little white-haired boy strolled down the dark alley. His white grin cut through the shadows as he called out, "Hey, I got it!" In his hand, he held up a bloody eye made out of gold, the crimson dripping onto his fingers. A sound of disgust could be heard as a man and similar-looking boy walked forward to meet him. "Is that blood?" the man asked.

Ryou glanced at the object, his expression innocent. "Eh? Maybe. What does it matter? You did things just as-" He caught himself before continuing, "I left him alive, okay? Now come on, celebrate a little." Grinning, Ryou wiped off the eye with a piece of cloth before winking. "It's fine now. So - who's holding onto this thing?" The three looked at each other.

At the lack of volunteers Ryou looked annoyed. Sticking it his pocket he sighed. "Guess it's up to me." Shaking his head, the strands darkened while his eyes brightened. "So where do we go next?" he asked cheerfully. Suddenly he tilted his head. "Wait! We forgot to go in the castle. Come on!" Turning sharply, the child sprinted, running towards the towering building.

His companions followed, silent and uneasy as their friend ran ahead of them. Fighting with a sword was one thing. It was how Yugi was, and they accepted that. But gouging out an eyeball - even a golden one - was disturbing in a way that left them fidgety. "I hope Yugi's okay," Bakura murmured. "I'm sure he is," Yami replied. His tone, though reassuring, still seemed uncertain.

"Wow! It really is a castle!" Yugi exclaimed as they arrived. The imposing structure loomed above them, but when they approached the door was locked. "We could burn it down," Yami suggested. Yugi shook his head, his eyes sparkling. "No," the child disagreed, "there must be another way." He pulled out the golden eye and grasped it tightly, staring at the castle grounds.

He walked towards a statue of a horse rearing, ridden by an armor-clad knight. The base was a large square stone. The child clenched his fist, staring with delight at the statue. "This is the entrance," he announced. Walking forward he bent down, pushing the statue. His hair flared white a moment before it darkened, but in that brief slice of time he had managed to push it forward.

Below lay a tunnel, stairs descending into darkness.


	15. Chapter 15

**Yes… I just realized I mixed up the King of Thieves and Ryou's names. My mistake. It's 'cause I hadn't planned on having both of them at first, so Ryou Bakura was just Bakura, and his shadow became Ryou. But I accidentally made an inconsistency somewhere in chapter 8, calling the silver-haired shadow 'Bakura' by accident. Sorry! I'm too lazy to fix it, so please just ignore. Also, look forward to seeing their 'past lives' I've been not-so-subtly been hinting at this whole time! Enjoy!**

The air was musty, the tunnel echoing with their footsteps as they walked down the stairs. "I can't see," one of them said. His face was illuminated by a small golden orb he held in his right hand, violet eyes glinting in the darkness. Behind him, a boy with white hair remarked, "Shouldn't we be more careful..? I mean, there are supposed to be a lot of traps here."

The child laughed. "No way!" Yugi exclaimed. "In fact, if it weren't so dark, we would be going faster. And stairs. Stairs going down aren't good." He frowned as he thought about it. "I hope we won't have to go up stairs. That won't be fun." The boy looked disappointed, but then ducked backwards, knocking over the boy behind him. An axe swung out from the wall in front, passing neatly through the man behind them before slipping into a gap in the wall behind them they hadn't noticed.

"You okay?" Bakura asked, concerned. Yami nodded, a little startled. "I am fine," he managed, smiling. "I cannot be hurt, after all. Don't worry." The boy nodded, turning forward to see the child standing, unmoving. "Yugi?" The child's laugh could be heard echoing through the tunnel as he faced his friends, pointing over his shoulder to the step behind him. "There's a riddle! See?"

Bakura moved past Yugi, kneeling down to look. By the dim light of the orb, he was able to make out words engraved neatly in the stone. Yami looked over the boy's shoulder. "It seems it's part of the castle, and not by some trickster," Yugi remarked, leaning back. "After all, it's been worn down evenly, the same as the rest of the tunnel. What's it say, Yami?"

The man said slowly, "Um… It says, 'The order of knights will lead you to safety'." Bakura looked doubtful. "Is that really a riddle? I mean, 'the order of knights'... I don't think armored warriors can help us here." Yugi laughed again, not answering. As they walked farther, they came upon a door. With excitement in his voice the child said, "I bet this is the end to the stairs!" He reached out, pushing the heavy metal door forward. They walked through, the door shutting behind them.

They entered a large room, stopping at the edge. "Don't touch the squares," Yugi said immediately. Except for a strip of stone on the side of the room they stood as well on as the opposite side, where another door waited, a checkered pattern of black-and-white squares decorated the floor, gleaming in the light coming from lanterns that flickered on the walls to their left and right. Each one looked to be about ten feet each - enough for two Yamis to lie down, head to toe, Yugi noted.

"Why?" Bakura asked, now warily eyeing the squares. Yugi shrugged. "Traps. Yami… would you mind counting how many squares there are in each column?" The shadow sighed. "Sure," he agreed, walking out onto the floor. He counted, not setting off any traps due to his being insubstantial. When he returned, Yugi was pacing the strip of stone floor.

"How many?" he asked, noticing the shadow. "Eight," Yami reported, rejoining them. Yugi grinned. "And eight in a column," he murmured. Yugi paced the strip again, finally saying, "Come here." Curious, his companions joined him. The child asked, "Do either of you know how to play chess?" Both of them shook their head. Holding out a hand, Yugi concentrated. Gradually, shadows materialized in his hand, solidifying into rocks. He tossed them out onto the board. As they landed, the squares they were on swung down.

Grinning at his friends' baffled expressions, he explained, "I think I figured it out. I remember playing chess before. I was pretty good - I still recall the rules." He pointed to a square one space from the end. A shadow resembling a horse's head with a circular base materialized on it. To Yami's and Bakura's astonishment it didn't fall. The child explained, "In chess, this is the knight."

Yami caught on instantly. "Oh! 'The order of knights' would refer to the way the knight is played!" Yugi nodded, pleased. "Exactly," he said. "Watch." The child gestured to the knight. In awe, his companions watched as it moved, gliding across the 'board'. As it came to a stop at the end of the room, Yugi gestured again, and it vanished. Bowing like a performer, he lead them across the floor.

"I wonder," Bakura said, as they neared the door, "how did you know chess was the clue?" Yugi shrugged. "Black and white kind of gave it away," he replied. "Was probably a warm-up or something. Plus, a chessboard has 64 squares… 8x8 is the standard." Bakura laughed. "I've never even heard of chess," he mused. "I wonder how the builder of this castle knew?"

Yugi tilted his head. "Beats me," he muttered. They pushed open the door, entering a stone corridor. It split off into three tunnels further into gloom. Yami said cautiously, "This is… a labyrinth, is it not?" Yugi nodded, darting forward. When his friends caught up he warned them, "We'll have to be careful." Pulling out the golden eye he stared at it in distaste. "As useful as this is, I rather hate it."

"Why?" Yami asked curiously. The child glanced back at him, eyes darkly mocking. "Come on… you should understand, fellow shadow." He chuckled. "Bakura still has my artifact, and he's nearby, so I'm not too uncomfortable." Bakura shifted nervously. The child shot him an amused look before continuing, "But really… think about it. Why do you always wear that puzzle? It's the source of our existence, Yami." He held it in his palm, seeming to think.

Then, abruptly, he shoved it into his left eye.


	16. Chapter 16

**So... this whole time, I've been avoiding direct thoughts that are written** _this way, with the italics_ **. But it's kind of necessary, so I'm gonna introduce the mind-thought stuffs here. You know, where they communicate by mind only. Also... In case it's not clear yet, this is a sort of far into the future world, where Yugi and co. have lived in before, but it's changed drastically since their death. It's now completely different, but even in reincarnation, history repeats itself. Enjoy!**

The child stumbled, caught by a wide-eyed Yami. Blood streamed from his eye socket, staining his silver hair, seeming to be like tears. He chuckled, but the sound was cut off as Yami smacked him. "Why did you do that?" he demanded, his voice shaking with worry. Ryou pushed away from him, looking annoyed as he held the now-sensitive spot. "What?" he asked.

Bakura stared, in shock as he watched the scene unfold. "Yu- Ryo- Who are you right now?" Yami nearly shouted, frustrated. The child laughed, making the man even more irritated. "Both. Always both," the child said with a sigh. He glanced up at Yami, smirking. "Why, do you not like it?" His hair fell down his face, nearly veiling it completely - he now touched it gingerly.

"I'm surprised someone like Pegasus could handle that," he murmured to himself. He then returned his attention to Yami. "Look…" He sighed. "I should just explain everything to you. Even better, let me show you." Looking solemn, the child approached Yami, saying to Bakura, "Come on, you too." His companions drew closer, looking uncertain. "What are you going to do?" Yami asked. Instead of answering the shadow, Ryou opted to act, placing one of his hands on each of their chests.

A slight wind blew from out of nowhere as his left eye gleamed brightly. Both sucked in their breath as images flooded their minds. The child watched them as they slumped down, unconscious. He sighed. "They'll be fine. I should've done that a while ago," he muttered. He knelt on the floor a moment, breathing slowly as he regained his breath. Then the child stood.

Glancing from corridor to corridor, he chose the one to the left. As he passed through the threshold, he flicked his hand behind him. The opening vanished, replaced by mottled rock that made up the corridor walls. Shaking his head, as if shaking water from his hair, the silvery color faded away. Two bright violet eyes were shadowed as the child hurried through the tunnel. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I don't want to see your face when you realize how wrong I've become."

A shuddering breath is released from the child as he staggers. "I told you we shouldn't have told them!" he cried in anguish. "It was too early! Way too early!" He groaned as a wave of regret ripped through him. "If it weren't for you and him, memories of then wouldn't be here." He pushed himself to his feet, taking turn after turn. His voice turned cold and harsh.

"You're too timid," the child snarled, eyes flickering from brown and gold to clear violet. His hair was tinged with shades of silver and black. A wave of pain passed through the child's body, and he slumped against a wall. His form flickered, then he hissed. "Too timid. I'm tired of you!" The child stilled. His hair settled into a serene silver as he stood, steady.

One eye was a dark brown while the other was lifeless gold. He smirked. "Oh well. I guess he really was tired of life, huh?" Ryou muttered. A brief expression of guilt crossed his face as he said those words, but it passed as he walked forward. Behind him, in the dimness of the labyrinth, his faint shadow cast by the golden eye remained slumped on the floor, even as he turned the corner. The shadow lay still for a while, then it stood, walking along the wall in the opposite direction.

"Yami!" His eyes opened. The shadow lay on the floor, Bakura leaning over him. The boy gave him a weary grin as the man sat up, wincing slightly. Although he did not feel pain, he certainly felt tired. "Bakura?" he murmured. The boy's expression turned grim. "Mm… it's me. Yugi… he had said something about showing us? Explaining? What happened?"

Yami shook his head slowly, recalling the experience. Memories. That was what had passed through his head - and they were still there, nearly tangible. But there were too many, and he was afraid of remembering. "I don't know," he said, at length.

Yami stood, looking around. Bakura stood with him. "The tunnel on the left is gone," he said, before Yami could ask. "I think Yugi went that way. I… when he put his hand on my chest, I experienced… images. Emotions. I think they were memories."

The shadow nodded. "I guess so," he replied. They walked down the corridor together, Yami pressing his hand against the wall where the tunnel had once been. "Can you get through?" Bakura asked nervously. The shadow hesitated, then tried. "No," he said, fighting to keep the dismay out of his voice. But the boy heard it anyway. They stared at the floor, defeated.

"Yami," Bakura said suddenly. The man looked up, his eyes widening a little. A small shadow was taking form on the wall before them. It was insubstantial, and featureless, but Yami gasped quietly, "Yugi?" The shadow didn't respond, only raising an arm to point to the corridor directly to the right. Then it moved from the wall to the floor, almost in the same way a shadow does when someone walks.

Only, there was no one casting this shadow. But it kept walking forward regardless, and the pair hurried to catch up. "Yugi?" Bakura tried. There was no response. Yami sped up a little, reaching down to touch the shadow. His fingers only encountered the cold stone floor as the figure continued walking. "Yugi…" he murmured. _I'm sorry, Yugi,_ he thought sadly.

The shadow paused. _Ya… mi… ?_


	17. Chapter 17

**So... I never actually finished Yu-Gi-Oh, and 'cause I decided to do a rebirth thing, I had to look it up. It's so sad! I mean, I know Yami's a soul that should have passed on, but really! I hate the ends of stories. There shouldn't have to be an end for every beginning. Oh, and this is a sort of... flashback chapter. Like... uh... you know, I really didn't plan for it to go this way. Originally, it was supposed to be it's own world. But my stories always have minds of their own, dragging me around by the neck. Enjoy!**

It shouldn't have happened.

 _"I've almost got it," the boy panted. Flames roared around him, but he paid them no mind, focused entirely on the golden pyramid in his hands. It burned, but he didn't let go. "Just… a little… more…" His nimble finger pieced it together, puzzle parts clicking. "I got it!" he exclaimed. It was whole now. Though he was out of oxygen, the boy smiled. "You'll be fine now," he whispered. Or did he? Perhaps he only thought the words._

 _He didn't know. It was so hot. He slumped against the pedestal, clutching the puzzle. His eyes drifted close. Voices shouted, almost nearby, but barely heard over the roaring fire surrounding the young boy. The knowledge he was going to die didn't upset him. But oh, how painful it was when, out of nowhere, a flaming rafter fell, crushing him. But it didn't kill him instantly. He slipped out of consciousness, burning to death._

So it didn't.

 _"...Tea?" The girl smiled down at him tearfully. "Yugi!" The boy groaned. "What… happened?" She sighed. "Joey and Honda, those reckless guys. They managed to save you - don't worry, you held on tight to this." She handed him the golden pyramid. As he grasped it, he recognized his surroundings. It was a hospital. He could hear his friends arguing about who saved him. It was so normal, and comforting. He hadn't died._

He hadn't died - fate had seen to that too well.

 _"Grandpa! Grandpa!" He shook the old man. The store was a mess, glass shattered and items tipped over, shelves torn down from the walls. But he knelt down, not caring about anything but his grandfather. "What happened?" he cried, tears flooding his eyes. They fell to the ground, lost. The boy felt the man's wrist, then felt his heart break. It had been a normal day. He had gone to school. Everything had been fine. But the store had been robbed. "Grandpa?" he whispered, his voice trembling. The boy knelt for a moment longer over the corpse. Then he walked into the bathroom, crying. He picked up the knife, staring mesmerized by the blade. He shoved it into his own wrist._

He had been so devastated - suicide had seemed reasonable.

 _"Grandpa! I'm home!" His grandfather smiled from behind the counter, waving. "Welcome home, Yugi!" As the boy walked past him, he heard a note of relief in his grandfather's voice. "Did something happen, grandpa?" The old man nodded, looking sheepish. "There was an accident," he called up the stairs, where Yugi dropped off his bag. "Someone was killed in a robbery just one street over!" Yugi frowned. "That's terrible," he said. But he wasn't really worried. It was a street over - here, in this store and house, it was just a normal day for him and grandfather._

But then no one died, so why would he?

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

 _He died._

Over and over and over.

Yet he never died once in his life.

 _The boy sits in his room, in the dark. His neck felt empty. Why did Yami get to die? Why did Yami get eternal rest while he didn't? His features twisted, shadowed. His mouth felt sour as he recalled the words he had said before. The boy snarled. "It's not fair!" he hissed seethingly. Tears poured from his eyes as he recalled the gaping void everything he'd come to love had vanished into - the things he had loved so dearly._

 _It wasn't fair. "Is my task over?" he laughed bitterly. Memories flooded his mind of all the deaths he had experienced. He wondered why Yami's soul had been put to rest when his wouldn't. Was this for Yami? For himself? Or for something else? Why did fate keep him alive? He remembered when Yami had activated a Shadow Game. The boy screamed. A tear in space appeared before him, shadows seeping through the hole._

 _"I hate this world!" Yugi screamed. Pounding on his door was heard, but he ignored it. The door was locked. He opened his arms, welcoming the shadows as they engulfed him. "Help me defy fate," he murmured to the darkness. It fed off his hatred, becoming him. What had once been the boy dispersed throughout the world, twisting it, changing it. Wars erupted. Diseases spread. People died, grew bitter…_

He hadn't died then.

So fate couldn't bring him back to life.

Instead, it recreated his soul…

 _He opened his eyes, shining violet as he wailed. "This is my child..." a woman murmured, her voice filled with awe. The baby wanted to scream in hatred, but the memories slipped away, leaving a faint darkness in his heart. "Hello, Yugi," the woman said happily._


	18. Chapter 18

**So... Like I'm sure I've mentioned, I don't really know where I'm going with this. I get bored with the same themes pretty easily. Enjoy anyway..? You know, this is so short on fanfiction, but when I write it on google docs, it takes up a page and then some. I don't get it.**

"Yugi!" the man exclaimed. The shadow tilted it's head. _Yami_ , he heard. Bakura glanced at him oddly. "Uh… Yami?" he said cautiously. "I'm going out on a limb here - are you and…" he gestured to the shadow, "this talking together?" Yami glanced at him. "Mm-hm," the man said absentmindedly. _Tell him to shut up, we're having a conversation_ , he heard. Snickering, Yami repeated Yugi's words to Bakura. Looking slightly hurt and offended, the boy drew away to give them privacy.

 _How much do you remember?_ Yami sensed trepidation in Yugi's voice, and said softly, "Everything. But - how did I and Ryou and the other Items come back?" The shadow shrugged. _Time passes_ , he heard. _The toughest Items remained, and the others were swallowed in pure darkness. My darkness_ , the shadow added, sounding ashamed. Yami smiled. "It's okay," he soothed.

He was unprepared for the shadow's outburst. _No! It's not okay! Look at me! Look at me!_ Yami staggered, a vision entering his mind's eye. From his viewpoint, he was looking down a dark hallway, with his and Yugi's soul rooms on either side. He looked at Yugi's soul room before reflexively recoiling in horror. The door hung ajar, torn off it's hinges. A heavy chest lay in the corner of the room, presumably filled with everything that had filled Yugi's soul room in their previous life.

The white walls were painted haphazardly with thick brushstrokes of black paint, long dried. The floor was chipped and stained with blood. In the middle stood Yugi. "Yugi," Yami said, his voice sad. "What happened?" Yugi smiled, tilting his head. It was an innocent smile. "I didn't die," the child told him. "Unlike you, Yami, and Ryou, most people go completely insane from not dying when they should. I hid it well, didn't I?" The man stared, horrified by the broken boy.

The vision faded, leaving Yami staring at the shadow on the wall. It shrugged, arms upwards. _Your task, I'm assuming, in this life is to lead me into the light._ It gave a hollow chuckle. "Yugi," Yami murmured, brushing his fingers against the cold stone. The shadow stilled. _I actually can't feel that, it mused. How strange - to know it's happening but not experience it._

Yami chuckled. "It is how all of us felt," he admitted. "After all, I was human once. Even without memories the sensation did take a while." _Hm_ , the shadow murmured. It drifted along the wall. "Where is it going?" Bakura asked warily. "Ah!" Yami remembered. "Bakura, this is Yugi." Bakura made a face. "...Seriously? Where's his body? No, scratch that, where's Ryou?"

 _I don't know_ , Yugi muttered, still walking away. _But he's this way - and I want you guys to see him off._ Yami tilted his head. "Why?" he asked, ignoring Bakura's bemused look. _Because you're all going to heal_ , Yugi said. _So that I can die happily._ "Wait," Yami panicked, "No, you're not going to die. I mean, if anyone should it would be me and Ryou -" A laugh interrupted him.

 _Uh-huh_ , Yugi chuckled. _Well, maybe I'll change my mind._ Yami sighed a little. He was starting to think Yugi didn't put very much thought into his actions. _I do._ "Sure," he humored the boy. Turning to Bakura, he reiterated, "We're going to find Ryou and… apparently, send him off." Bakura's confusion didn't change. "Send him off?" the boy asked.

"Yugi seems determined to find us all new lives," Yami said, amused. An image passed through his vision - it was of him, dueling with Yugi by his side - from their pst lives together. As the image faded, he heard Yugi say, _Your new life has already begun._ Before the man could respond, he and Bakura reached a door. The boy opened it eagerly.

"Hey," Ryou said. He stood from where he had sat on the floor. "I, uh… got pretty lost. I'm sorry, but Yugi, he -" He broke off what he was going to say when Yugi walked over to him, making it look like Ryou had a shadow in both directions. _Good-bye_ , Yugi said. "Bye," both Yami and Bakura echoed. Ryou smiled a little sadly, nodding. He walked past them, re-entering the labyrinth to return outdoors. As the door closed behind him Bakura admitted, "I honestly did not think I'd miss him."

Yami laughed. "Agreed." They followed Yugi as they padded through carpeted halls, dodging various pits and spikes and arrows that were set up along the way. _This is a little dangerous,_ Yugi said thoughtfully, after an axe became embedded where his shadow was. "No kidding," Yami gasped, slightly out of breath. _Since becoming corporeal, you've gotten more sarcastic._

"Since becoming a shadow, you've lost your sense of humor," Yami fired back. _Not true._ Yugi sounded hurt. _I'm just not taking every opportunity to laugh at you. Is that so bad?_ Before Yami could reply, Bakura said, "You know, I kind of wish I could hear Yugi. It sounds so odd to hear you talk to yourself." Yami groaned. "Yeah," he muttered, growing depressed, "It would be."


	19. Chapter 19

**So if you read the chapter I set up and deleted today - please pay it no mind! I just got lazy and wanted to quit, but I was convinced otherwise! Thanks, I had fun fixing my chapter. If you don't know what I'm talking about, that's cool. Either way - enjoy!**

"Hey," Bakura said after a while, "where are we going?" Both Yami and Yugi turned to look at him. Yami listened to Yugi, then sighed with exasperation. "He doesn't know," the man reported. The boy looked incredulous, glancing at the shadow. "Seriously?" he exclaimed, stepping back. "Then we may as well just try every random door along this hallway!"

As the boy said that, the child-shaped shadow perked up. Bakura noticed this, and muttered, "Uh-oh." Yami face-palmed. "Now Yugi wants to do exactly that," the man told him. Bakura groaned. Yugi walked over to a door, passing through it. The man and boy hastened to follow him, just having enough time to notice it was a light green with a clover designed before entering.

It was a plain room - about the size of a stage with a very low ceiling, but with nothing in it. Yami walked forward, his footsteps echoing in the vast space. "Yugi?" The shadow appeared in the middle of the room, his arms spread wide. "Welcome!" the shadow chuckled. Bakura's eyes went wide. "I can hear him!" he said with surprise. "Indeed," Yugi said, bowing deeply.

"Getting the hang of it?" Yami asked dryly, taking another step. Yugi shot upright, holding out a hand. "Stop!" he laughed. "If you walk carelessly, you might be skewered!" Yami froze, eyeing the floor warily now. Bakura stood in place, his eyes widening further. "W-why are we here then?" the boy stammered. Yugi chuckled, the sound carrying as he swept an arm backwards.

At the opposite end of the room rose a podium, upon which rested a small object. It was too far away for either human to make out, but it seemed to shine brightly. "A key!" Yugi said cheerfully. "But I can't touch it, so I need your help, okay?"

"You're in a fine mood," Yami complained, now cautiously making his way back to where Bakura was, "seeing as how I might get skewered." Yugi waved off the man's concerns. He gestured broadly around the room, dancing lightly across the floor.

"There are four things that might happen," he said in a carefree voice. "Three will have you die - some say three-leaf clovers are unlucky, you know?" Yugi chuckled. "One event will come about in a trap triggered. One will come about with careless handling. One will come about with acknowledgement of weakness. And one will come about when cherry blossoms fall. That's all I know."

Abruptly the child sat on the floor. "Now," he said cheerfully. "We probably need to get the key, so try to get it without dying, hm?" He laughed again. Bakura frowned. "That's actually becoming irritating," the boy muttered. Yami agreed, but privately, thinking over the words Yugi had said.

"A trap triggered is obvious," he thought aloud. "You already warned me about the floor… Careless handling. I suppose that means… if we handle the key carelessly, I'll die. And what would an acknowledgement of weakness mean?" He was silent, thinking.

Bakura watched this, then said, "Couldn't we come back later..? I mean, let's just go! It's not worth dying!" Yami's eyes widened. He pounded his fist into his palm, understanding. "I see! If we try to leave, thus an 'acknowledgement of weakness,' there's something set up to kill us!" Bakura's eyes widened again. He groaned, his shoulders slumping as he sat down.

As Yami continued muttering to himself, Bakura stared up at the ceiling. He realized the room hadn't been as plain as they had thought - there were paintings on the ceiling. No, only one painting. It was of a flower… "Yami! A cherry blossom!" he exclaimed, pointing.

Yami looked up. "Oh, so we have to make it fall?" he said. He reached up to touch it. "NO! DON'T YOU DARE, ATEM!" The man froze, his fingers inches away from the painting. He glanced at Yugi, who was standing. All mirth was gone from his voice as he said, "Stupid. You can't figure it out? It's a trap, obviously. Careless handling doesn't always result in death. Leave that and come."

The shadow stepped towards Yami, then walked away, leaving a deliberate trail of footsteps for Yami to follow. Slightly shaken, the man followed, matching the footsteps exactly. Once he slipped up and had to dodge a few arrows shot from the wall.

"Stupid," Yugi repeated, watching him. The man sighed. "You could have told me the answers earlier," he pointed out, successfully making it to the key. He picked it up, slipping it into his pocket. "I thought you'd figure it out on your own," Yugi muttered. "Incidentally, had you touched the cherry blossom painting it would have dropped down on you - and you'd go squish," he told them.

Bakura shuddered. Yami and Yugi walked back to him, Yugi humming. "Next room!" he said cheerfully. Yami sighed. "I don't know if I can count on you or not," he remarked, following the shadow out the door. The boy beside him groaned. "Me neither!" he complained. A laugh echoed towards them from down the hallways as the shadow reached another door.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey! Here's the next chapter... I'm gonna stretch out this 'castle' setting for a while, just so you know. I actually forgot about food - who needs food when you got games, yeah? But, it doesn't work that way in the real world. Hahaha...**

Yami and Bakura reached the shadow and glanced at the door. On it was the design of a sphinx. When Bakura tried to open it, the door was locked. "It's riddles and riddles and riddles again!" Yugi announced happily. He gestured to the sphinx. "Press it."

The man reached over to do so, and found that it was an ornately shaped button. He pressed it, and a voice came out. "Would you like to enter?" Bakura said firmly, "Yes." There was a whir, then the sphinx said, "1. 1. 3. 4. Without heaven or earth, what remains in the end?" Yami tilted his head, confused. Bakura looked at Yugi. "Do you know what it is?"

The shadow swayed a little, putting it's hands behind it's back. "Ah, do I? Oh, but I might be wrong~" Yugi sang softly, amusement clear in his voice. Bakura and Yami groaned simultaneously. "Fine, but just this once," the shadow laughed.

He turned to face the door. "Hell," he said firmly. The door swung open. Yugi tilted his head in invitation. "Go on in." Bakura groaned again, louder. "That sounds scary when you say it," he said, walking in behind Yami. They entered the room. "What the -" Bakura exclaimed, but his shout was muffled as Yami hurriedly covered the boy's mouth.

Before them was another hallway. Lining the walls were jail cells, filled with dragons. Yugi skipped ahead of them, twirling to face the pair. "Let's finish this up before sleeping," he said, referring to how late it was.. The dragon nearest to them raised his head. He blew fire at Yugi, but it passed harmlessly through him. Then the dragon turned to Yami and Bakura.

"In the name of the three gods," Yugi said casually, "don't you dare. You know which I mean." The shadow snickered a little as the dragon turned away. "Seems I'm helping you a lot more than I intended," he teased Yami and Bakura.

He then turned, beckoning as he walked down the hallway. Each were doubtful about following a mischievous shadow that wouldn't get hurt if they were all roasted by a dragon - even if he did save them several times, those close shaves were his fault in the first place.

Finally Yami began to follow. "Stay close," he warned Bakura, keeping an eye on the drowsy dragons. Then suddenly Yugi stopped. "First riddle," he said in a friendly tone. The dragon to their left blew fire on the floor before them.

Glowing words lit up. Yami crouched down to read them. "...What's it say?" Bakura said, rubbing his eyes. The sudden glow in the dim hallway proved too much for him to see the words clearly. "All things come to an end," Yugi read for them. "Who is the universe's Grim Reaper?" Yami tilted his head, examining the words in his mind. "Time?" he guessed.

"That's a good guess," Yugi agreed, clapping briskly. He then inclined his head, resuming the trek down the hall. As he walked over the words, they were extinguished, enveloping the area in shadow. Further down, a blue dragon stuck it's head out, blowing fire across the floor. "Second riddle," Yugi informed them, standing in the middle of the blast.

When it died down, he read for them, "How did the jester, the singer, the leader and the clown split three pies without cutting them?" Bakura scrunched up his face. "They made another?" he tried. "The jester and the clown were the same."

Yugi applauded Yami's response, walking onto the riddle. They were snuffed out. Soon they reached the end, where they entered a round room. Yugi made his way to the middle, then faced Yami and Bakura, his back to the encased podium.

TIlting his head, he gestured to the encased podium where, in the dim light, something glinted. "The key," Yami realized out loud. Yugi nodded. "I'm going to answer this one," he said, spreading his hands, "so cover your ears." The man and the boy both complied, allowing Yugi to turn to the podium. Curious, Bakura took his hands away - just a few inches.

A voice boomed throughout the circular room. "What is your greatest shame? What is your greatest secret? Who do you hate with all your heart?" The shadow shifted. "My death. Her death. Myself." Bakura's eyes widened.

He wondered exactly who's death was Yugi's greatest secret. Then his stomach growled, and Yugi whirled around, the key clutched in his hand. The shadow laughed. "How about we eat?" he suggested, laughing. Yami tiled his head. "How?" he asked.

Correctly assuming the man was referring to their current location deep in the castle, Yugi responded, "It's around dusk. I'm pretty sure there's a place with food somewhere... only, it might be poisoned." His companions groaned. "Cheer up," the shadow laughed. He guided them out of the room, back into the brightly-lit hallway.

"This one," he told them merrily, pointing to a door down the hallway. The threshold before it was blackened and weathered - or was it burned and torn? Bakura said doubtfully, "Uh... is that safe?" Yugi shook his head. "Starve to death or brave these dangers?" he asked cheerfully.


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello again... forget what I said about the castle. Haha... Enjoy? I hope? Bringing back some of that death and killing. Yay... (being slightly sarcastic, in case you haven't noticed. not that much. but a little)**

The shadow wait, arms out, for their decision. "You're just playing a prank," Bakura said, his voice wavering. He stepped forward quickly, hand out. "Bakura, no!" Yami cried, trying to pull the boy back, but the boy turned the handle. In an instant the door swung inward and Bakura was dragged screaming into the darkness. The door slammed shut.

"Yugi!" Yami roared, turning, then paused. The shadow was nowhere to be seen. The man's mind was reeling. Had it all been a set-up? But by Yugi? His memories of each child's life warred with each other. "Yugi?" he whispered.

"Bakura, he went missing from the land of the living," a soft voice sang. It was undeniably Yugi's, but Yami couldn't see the child anywhere. "Ryou, he fell fast asleep, so easily deceived. Mai was killed, she died because of her pride. Anzu went dead, missing her head. Yami left me, his soul to be free. Mother was run over, father's three-leaf clover..."

The words were disturbing, causing Yami to shiver as he heard them. "Yugi?" The shadow shimmered into existence before him. It tilted it's head. "Yes?" The man swallowed, slowly asking, "What are you singing?" The shadow tilted it's head the other way before laughing. "My mistakes!" he laughed. The shadow spread it's hands out.

"Last mistake," he heard Yugi say bitterly. "Eh?" Yami said, his eyes confused. Then they widened as the shadows spilled through the windows, the doorways, all pouring into the small shadow standing before him. "I liked this place," he heard.

"But it doesn't matter anymore." An explosion of darkness had Yami stumbling, his arms flung out in front of his eyes. It was similar to light - a painful, blinding moment. Then it passed, and the man found himself standing in the middle of ruins, blackened rubbles surrounding him. Some of it shifted, and Bakura woozily poked his head out from under one.

Yami ran towards him. "Bakura!" he exclaimed. The boy groaned, pulled into the man's embrace. "I... almost died..." the boy muttered. "Claws... teeth... But then," he looked up, "There was a lot of darkness?" Yami nodded, now looking around.

"The castle is decimated," Bakura noted. "Where's Yugi?" His eyes widened as the man didn't answer. FInally Yami admitted, "I... I don't know." A shadow - upright and three dimensional - drifted towards them. Yugi was laughing. "That was so much fun!" the shadow cheered. Both Yami and Bakura watched him, dumbfounded as the child continued talking.

"I wasn't sure that would work," he was saying. "But neither Yami nor I could get in there in time! So I thought, what if I destroyed the castle? It was like warping the world - but on a way smaller scale. That could come in handy, especially -"

Yami raised and hand, and to their surprise, Yugi stopped talking. Yami nudged Bakura. "Thanks," the boy said sheepishly. "Sure," Yugi replied. "But seriously - I didn't think you'd just go in!" The boy looked at his feet. Then his stomach grumbled.

"Ah," the shadow laughed. "That's right. Well, the next town is nearby, so we could walk for a while and go to a restaurant there. We probably shouldn't stay after wrecking this place." His companions nodded in agreement. They entered the forest.

The three walked for a way before Yami asked, "What made you think of destroying the castle?" Yugi shrugged. "Well... I more... kind of... snapped rather than had an actual plan," the shadow confessed, snickering softly. "But all's well that -" He stopped at his friend's expressions. After a moment he said, "Hey, I thought you were dead. Sorry."

Yami sighed as Bakura blushed, still ashamed at his actions. Then suddenly the shadow fell. "Yugi?" Yami said, alarmed. The child-shaped shadow stood, then remained still. Then his voice, utterly baffled, said, "I tripped."

Bakura frowned. "How does a shadow trip?" he asked incredulously. Yugi sighed. "I turned into a shadow to give Ryou his own body - his own freedom - so he could pass on in peace. Apparently, what I did earlier is weakening the shadow part of me." The child sighed, sounding depressed. "And I like being a shadow, too. For one, I don't trip."

At the reminder of Ryou's passing on, Yami questioned hesitantly, "Hey... Yugi... why did you call him a mistake?" The shadow paused. "I don't know," he said sharply. Yami watched him march away, unconvinced. Then Bakura tugged him along.


	22. Chapter 22

**I forgot a very important person - Kaiba! But huge corporations are a pain to write - especially in a semi-post-apocalyptic setting like this. So… well, you'll see exactly what I did with the stereotypical villain guy. And Mokuba! Almost forgot him! But, they're too tiring to write about, so I'll just give a few sentences or something, hm?**

"How long is it?" Yugi whined. "Are you tired?" Yami asked curiously. The shadow paused, then cursed softly. "I am," the child admitted. He cursed a little more, causing Yami to cover Bakura's ears. "Hey!" the boy complained, but they paid him no attention. "Maybe you'll be human again," Yami suggested hopefully. The shadow laughed, somehow sounding sad.

The suddenly melancholy child said, "Sure. Maybe." He was quiet from then on until they reached the town. "Look!" Bakura cried, pointing. "It's the Turtle Restaurant!" Both Yami and Yugi tilted their heads. "What?" they said in unison.

The boy was shocked. "Come on, it's a really famous restaurant known for their food! How can you -" He looked at them, ancient pharaoh spirit on one side and a sheltered assassin on the other. "Come on," the boy said impatiently, beckoning them. They followed as he eagerly entered the building. "I'll keep a look-out," Yugi offered, staying outside as he eyed the interior.

Yami nodded, ducking into the doorway to join Bakura. He stood, frozen for a few moments. Everything was grey - except for the food and the people. But even the waiters had plain, light grey uniforms. "Come on," Bakura urged the man.

Finally Yami sat at a table with the boy, still awed by the lack of color. "How is such an unfriendly place so famous?" he questioned. Bakura snickered. "Really good food," he whispered back. In a few minutes, after they had ordered and eaten, Yami understood.

"This really is really good," he murmured, paying with the money they had left. The two stepped out of the doorway, then Yami looked around in confusion. "Where's Yugi?" he said. Bakura shrugged. "I don't know," he said defensively. A voice the man vaguely recognized from his past life - his and Yugi's - said snidely, "Yugi..? Is that what you call this... thing?"

They whipped around to see a teenager smirking, his hand fisted in the shirt of a child. It was hard to tell in the darkness, but it was clear to both Yami and Bakura who it was. "How dare you!" Bakura shouted. The teenager boy tsked.

He gestured, and fuming, both followed him down the street, into a spacious alley. They stared at him angrily. Then Yugi dissolved into shadow. Kaiba swore, his hand fumbling in the air for a moment. Then the child had him in a stranglehold, the teenager hissing. Then Kaiba elbowed the child, who vaporized. In the moment he flickered Yami saw a vicious glee in his eyes. "Yugi, stop!" Yami shouted.

Kaiba eyed him angrily. "Shut up," he spat. Then Yugi rematerialized and they were fighting again. The two onlookers watched, nervous. Then suddenly Yugi screamed, and his fingers stabbed through the teenager's eyes. Kaiba fell down, clutching them. A cry came from behind them.

A boy with black hair stood, his eyes wide. "Brother!" he cried in a strangled voice. "I didn't kill him," Yugi said. He stood, solid, over the writhing teenager. He stared at his bloody hands. "Not yet - not yet," he murmured, even softer. He walked away, leaving the traumatized boy and teenager behind. Yami and Bakura lingered, horrified, but quickly left when shouts could be heard.

"What did you - I thought you were supposed to keep a look-out!" Bakura cried. Yugi was silent for a while. "Yugi?" Yami asked, concerned. Although he was worried, his voice was steady. But the child shook his head. "No - I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

His form flickered - into shadow and back again - several times before he settled back into corporeal state again. The child hurried into the forest, forcing his friends to do the same. "Trust us," Yami begged him. Bakura backed away, uncertain.

Yugi sighed. "If I miss anyone, they might kill me," he muttered. "But can you kill what's dead?" His companions listened attentively. The child laughed at that before turning solemn, turning to face his friends. His next words startled them, not being what they had expected him to say.

"Bakura, I'm sorry." The boy blinked, confused. "What?" he said. Yugi laughed again - a bitter, humorless sound. "I'm so tired," he muttered. "There's nowhere to escape to. It's like a maze." He rattled off a few swear words that had Yami cover Bakura's ears again.

"Where do you learn this language?" Yami asked disapprovingly. Yugi laughed. Waving off the man's question, much to said person's slight irritation, Yugi said, "I guess I should stop blaming you, Bakura. Would you like to hear what happened to Anzu?"

The boy froze. Slowly, his voice careful, he said, "I killed her - in a training accident." Yugi winked. "You did indeed!" he said. His light tone made them nervous. The child flickered, losing all substance as he became a shadow. He stepped into the moonlight.

Like two images superimposed on one another, the silhouette of a girl was suddenly visible in his place.


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey!... So remember how they were reborn after Yugi's first blow-up? Yeah... who says you only get reborn once?**

"It's so cold," the shadow said. She tilted her head, reaching out for Bakura. The boy backed away. "It's so cold," she repeated, "And lonely. Why… is it like this? Why… am I so alone?" Her features became visible as they contorted into bitterness. "But it's not your fault," she hissed. "It's this world's!" Shadows stretched from her feet, twining around the surrounding trees.

Like black vines they leapt, entangling themselves over everything. Though they avoided Yami and Bakura, the ground was steeped in darkness. "Yu - Anzu, stop it!" Bakura cried, lunging forward. He jerked his hand back as he felt it sting - where he had come in contact with the vine, there was a dark, bruise-like mark. The boy retreated from the flailing vines.

"I HATE THIS WORLD!" she screamed, ignoring him. Then suddenly, she coughed, choking. The shadow fell to her knees, clutching the ground as she whispered hoarsely, "Please… you're hurt… too… I know you… want this, too… please…"

Slowly, she faded, leaving Yugi kneeling where she had been. The child exhaled shakily, drawing back in the shadowy vines. He smiled at his friends. "Sorry, she got too strong for a moment," he laughed. Unable to stand on his feet, he sat back instead.

Bakura approached him slowly. Yugi looked up, his smile growing sad. They reached out, their fingertips touching. Yami covered his face as a flash of blinding darkness spiraled out, a vicious explosion of shadow. The man looked up, his eyes widening. He recognized the darkness around them - the Shadow Realm. Before him, three people faced off each other.

One was Anzu. She was younger than when he had known her previously, but her features were clear. Across from her were Bakura and Yugi. Each child held a sword. "Game start," Yugi whispered. As if it were a signal, the two-on-one battle unfolded before Yami's eyes - too fast for him to watch fully. He hesitated, unsure if he should split them up… or not…

He shook his head. As much as he wanted to, this was their battle to settle. He sighed, standing back. Yugi's eyes flashed violet as he leapt forward, piercing one of the blurred figures. Blood went flying as Bakura fell back, clutching his stomach. "Wha -" he began, but stopped as he and Yami found themselves in reality. Yugi and Anzu were nowhere to be seen.

Then where they had last seen the pair, darkness blossomed, rushing outwards. Neither had a chance to scream or try to run as they were engulfed in the roiling shadows. As Yami's consciousness began to fade he tried to reach out. He thought he heard Yugi crying.

But that couldn't be. Yugi hadn't cried once since they met in this life.

 _The woman screamed as she convulsed. Then someone said, "Congratulations. You're the mother of a son." She gasped, holding the baby in her arms. He was silent, but that didn't matter. She loved him with her whole heart. "What will you name him?" Without looking away, the woman said fondly, "I'll name him Yugi." The baby began to wail. "Oh, he must be hungry." The mother was silent for a moment._

 _Her eyes went wide with horror as she saw the baby's eyes open. They were violet - a fierce violet that stared at her with hatred. They closed, and uneasily the woman said, "Yes… maybe he's hungry." They gave her a bottle to feed him, but still she couldn't shake the image of it out of her head._

 _"Yugi," she whispered to herself._

 _Later that night, she settled him at the porch of an orphanage. The sight had terrified her. She could say he was dead - no one would ever know. Without a second glance, she hurried away. The baby began to wail, prompting the door to open. "Another one," came the mutter. Another woman came out, lifting the baby roughly before taking him inside, slamming the door. Above the doorway read the sign, Adieu Lieu Orphanage._

 _"A duel," the baby murmured. The woman looked down. "Yugi," she read tiredly off the little card tucked in his blankets. She sighed, putting him down on a bed. "Miss," she heard. She looked up, seeing an old man enter. She smiled. "Grandfather," she greeted. "Thank you for helping me run this." He nodded, crossing the room to sit beside her. He looked down at Yugi. "A curious child," he said._

 _"I feel as if I've seen him before."_


	24. Chapter 24

**So. The setting I had previously was a sort of mix between post-apocalyptic mix of magic, nature, and old-fashioned-ish towns. The setting for this life is based off of the few stories I ever read that included London/Britain/England sort of areas. Mostly Black Butler, the Stoneheart Trilogy, and… um, a manga called Shounen Oujo. That's the sort of vibe I was going for… Just for a change of pace. For me, if not for you, my dear readers. Enjoy!**

"Yugi! Get back here!" The child turned back to her, his head tilted curiously. He smiled sweetly. "Sure," he said agreeably. Then he hopped over the fence, darting around the corner. Panting, the woman stopped and rested her hands on her knees, tired. "That little…" she muttered. "I'll kill him! I really will!" As she turned to leave, the child watched her from behind the brick wall.

He snickered softly. "As if!" he sang to himself. "That lady, too nice. She'd never do that." Humming, he walked along the street, his boots barely making any noise. Ruffled hair grew mostly dark, but his bangs were a vivid blond. Violet eyes peered out from beneath them as he laughed out loud. "What a nice person!" he repeated to himself laughingly, going faster.

Suddenly he ran into someone. Knocked back, Yugi huffed as he landed on his rear. "What the?" he said, looking up. A menacing figure loomed over him as a snide voice said, "Oh? It's a brat from Adieu Lieu!" Yugi smiled. "Eh?" he said cheerfully. "Oh, it's the jerk from that toy store! Hello!" The man growled. "It's not a toy store! It's an antique store!" he snapped.

Yugi shrugged. "They're both fun and adorable like you, Mr. Jounouchi!" he said casually. The child was lifted off his feet as Mr. Jounouchi said furiously, "What did you call me?! Huh?" Yugi pulled away gently, grinning. He reprimanded the man, "Now now, don't get so worked up over a kid! Relax, I'm going!" Bowing, he turned and ran off quickly.

Shouts erupted as Mr. Jounouchi charged around the corner, racing down the street. Above, Yugi swung his legs over the road as he watched the man vanish with amusement. In his hands he was deftly tossing and catching a bronze key with an ornate handle. He giggled. "An antique? Or something important?" he mused, holding it up to let it catch the light.

The child grinned as he pocketed the item, listening fondly to the man's distant, yet still quite audible, shouts of rage. "Perhaps I ought to check his store tonight," he murmured. Smiling, he looked up at the sky, covered in grey clouds reflected in his eyes.

Blinking, he swung himself over the roof's edge, clambering down the street light as quietly as he could. He landed lightly on the sidewalk. Brushing off his rather worn clothes, Yugi made his way for a few alleys until he emerged into a neighborhood he felt sure the antique store owner wouldn't find him. Relaxing slightly, the child looked around. On the particular street he stood on, it seemed there was a market going on. He had stepped directly into the harried crowd of shoppers.

"'Scuse me, pardon me," he said absently, slipping through the crowd. Yugi ended up at the side of a nearly vacant stall. The vendor was selling caramel apples, but few customers lingered, despite the tantalizing warmth in the midst of such a cold day. Yugi nodded at the vendor. "Honda," he greeted him happily. The man looked down, then gave a long-suffering sigh.

"You gave Jounouchi trouble," the man said. "I heard him raging as I took a break earlier. He was a bit louder than usual. What did you do this time?" Yugi chuckled softly. "All I did was trip him," he lied easily. The man groaned. "No wonder," he replied, but the child could hear the amusement in his voice. The child waved, slipping back into the crowd.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, feeling the hard metal of the key. Usually, he and Honda laughed at his antics, but he rarely actually stole something from the guy. He wondered why he bothered, but shrugged it off. A little mischief never hurt anyone. Skipping a little, he turned onto an emptier street. There his stride steadied. He had something to do, and he couldn't mess up.

Or he'd starve for the rest of the day. With that grim thought in mind, Yugi pushed open a door, entering a store with the sign Masquerade Meals. The girl at the counter looked up, saying, "Welcome to Mas - oh, hello Yugi." The child smiled. "Hey, Anzu," he said cheerfully. She handed him a riddle. "Boss thought of this one today," she told him. "He's confident you won't solve it."

"I'll do it," Yugi said. He winked. "Tell him I appreciate the food." Anzu rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "I'll do that once you finish." The child looked at the riddle. "Mountains mantled blue beneath the reversed sky," he read aloud, "are home to the humblest who produce finery from a grain of sand. What is the name of the humble one?" Yugi giggled.

"An oyster," he told the girl. Eyebrows arched in admiration, she handed him a warm bundle as she asked, "How did you figure it out? He hadn't even told me, and I couldn't guess it right." The child shrugged. "Sky reversed gave it away as ocean," he replied modestly, holding the bundle reverently. "Tell your boss I really appreciate this chance for food." She laughed.

"He appreciates your wit," she told him. He darted out of the store, unwrapping a steaming sandwich. He bit into it, savoring the meat before rewrapping it and tucking it underneath his jacket, enjoying the heat as well as hoping to keep it warm a little longer.


	25. Chapter 25

**Magic! Spirits! Darkness! An orphan on the streets, making his way through the world with some acquaintances off the streets! A foreign land that was built based off a place I know next to nothing about!... what a disaster. I feel like crying thinking about it. So cliche. Sad… oh, but don't forget the oh-so-popular vampires. Vampires, you ask?.. Read and find out!**

Finally the sandwich began to cool, prompting Yugi to devour it quickly. He thought about saving part of it, but he gave in and finished it. Now that his hunger was sated, he was thirsty. The child headed to another part of town as the sun rose in the sky. Moving hurriedly, he lithely dodged passerby as he began to near his destination. Yugi stopped in front of Serenity's Theatre.

"Ah, hello," he said. The guard outside looked down at him. "It's free," he told the child brusquely, jerking his thumb back to point inside. "A new play's showing at the moment - might still make it, intermission just ended." Yugi smiled. "Thanks," he said earnestly, ducking into the dark theatre. He closed the doors quietly, walking down the aisle to pick an empty seat at random.

Serenity, Jounouchi's sister, often put on plays at her theatre. Though she had gone blind early in her youth, she was an excellent script-writer. Yugi sighed as he sat down. He was bored, and couldn't think of anywhere to find water at the moment, so he figured he would watch the woman's newest play. She often featured antiques from Jounouchi's antique store…

Suddenly Yugi desperately hoped the key wasn't important to her play, or the kind woman would definitely kill him. Even if she was blind. He watched attentively as the next scene began. The backdrop was pure white, the curtains drawn to expose the entire stage. Fake snow was piled high around the back and sides of the stage, while a single actor stood in the middle.

Yugi frowned. "Weird," he mumbled under his breath, "what's this play about? It's usually more interesting" The actor threw off her hood and cloak to reveal long wavy blond hair. She knelt, her hands clasped over her chest as if in prayer. Her eyes closed. "Let me tell you a story," she said. Though her voice wasn't raised, it carried well through the auditorium. "It is of the cold snow."

The woman stood, her eyes opening and her hands dropping to her sides. "Long ago, a little girl played in the snow." She began walking very slowly towards one particularly high pile of fake snow. Yugi watched with interest as she continued, "She stayed out for many nights… playing in the snow." Giving the audience a smile, she placed a hand gently on the pile.

"And I never stopped!" she cackled. A fan must have been turned on, for the snow flurried high, blocking her figure. A moment later it died down, the woman vanishing. Her voice could be heard as footprints embedded themselves in the now-snow carpeted stage. "Isn't it beautiful? This snow… this deadly, deadly snow…" The footprints walked to the edge of the stage.

When they could not be seen for lack of snow, someone said nervously, "What the heck? A terrible storyline! God!" Yugi heard someone mutter, "What's he complaining about? I see his girlfriend's with him - mine's still in the bathroom." The child smiled serenely, leaning back. He knew what this play was about, and barely kept from laughing loudly.

Suddenly he heard a whisper beside his ear. "Hello, Yugi." He tilted his head. "Mai," he greeted the air. A soft chuckle reached him as screams started in the audience. The woman materialized beside him, cross-legged on the chair-arm. She watched the bloody scene with amusement, her blond hair tossed carelessly over one shoulder. Yugi sighed morosely.

"I was looking forward to an actual play," he complained. Mai gave him a full-throated laughed, sharp canines flashing in her mouth. "Oh well," she said. Yugi tilted his head, thinking about it. "No wonder the play was free this time," he realized out loud. "I didn't have to tell him Serenity's code." The child stood, carefully avoiding the pools of blood as he walked out.

"Have fun," he threw back, not looking as grotesque sounds could be heard from closer to the stage. As he walked out and closed the door, the guard looked at him in disbelief. "Thanks for that," Yugi told him sarcastically. "Really, if only I didn't know Serenity personally. I really appreciate it." He walked away, not bothering to hear the guard's reply - if he said one at all.

Shaking his head, he turned down an empty alley. From there he shimmied up a drain pipe, climbing onto a shingled roof. He looked up at the sky, shielding his with his hands as he judged the position of the sun. "About… late afternoon?" he guessed out loud. The shadows were longer from earlier, and the sun was definitely lower than earlier that day.

Sighing, the child made his way back down to the street, setting off in a new direction. "I have to hurry, or night will pass without me breaking into Mr. Jounouchi's shop!" he said cheerfully.


	26. Chapter 26

**So... how were the vampires? I've decided I'm gonna base this setting mostly off of London... I think. How's that sound? And at the end, I know there's a bit of a cliffhanger (okay, it's a cliffhanger) but hey, it'll be fine. Right..? Right. Enjoy!**

He leaned over the sidewalk, staring silently at the storefront. "What a curious antique store," Yugi murmured. He smiled as he recalled the first time he had entered - those had been his exact words. He stepped up onto the sidewalk, off the street. The child strolled down towards the large glass windows that were empty of displays, for Mr. Jounouchi always cleaned it at closing.

As the child left the pool of yellow light emitted from the street lamps, he smirked. Reaching out a hand, it passed through the glass, gripping the edge firmly as he clambered through, careful not to make too much noise. He whistled loudly, the sound echoing throughout the room. "Now," he said carelessly, "I wonder what this key was for?" The child looked around.

He ignored most of the items - for he had been there before, and recognized them - and instead started searching through the cardboard boxes that were labeled FRAGILE. "Oh!" he exclaimed, holding up a porcelain figurine. It was of a cat sitting upwards. "Pretty!" Snickering he put it down, going back through the boxes. A mess of things gathered around him, until he stopped.

Sitting back, he studied the three things with keyholes before him - a small box made of wood with an iron lock, an iron chest with a metal lock, and a small box made of gold with a gold lock. He tried the wooden one first, but the key was too large for that one. Putting the key aside, Yugi took out two thin pieces of metal and proceeded to pick the lock, opening the box.

Inside was a comb resting on a velvet cushion. "This is probably expensive," the child mused. He hesitated, then closed the box before turning to the golden one. To his delight, the key worked on that one. He opened it, but inside there were only oddly-shaped blocks - also made of gold. He ran his hand over them, frowning. "What are these supposed to be?" he complained.

The child set it aside, pulling out his lockpicks to work on the third box. After all, he may as well see what was in it. The chest lid lifted to reveal silks of vibrant colors. Yugi rolled his eyes, closing it. He left the key in the golden box's lock while taking the blocks with him, not bothering to clean up. Mr. Jounouchi would be furious, but the night was wasting away.

"A settled debt is never unearthed," he sang, walking along the deserted sidewalks, windows dark and the world bathed in yellow light. His boots clopped on the cement, loud in the silence. "From the grave it is buried in… cold is that promise, an oath broken, a vow abandoned. Why do we bother to go on..?" He heard a soft footstep behind him and turned.

"Mai," he greeted. The blonde smirked at him, her lips dyed red. "Yugi," she responded. "Would you like to join us?" The child scoffed, glancing at her blood-stained attire. "Not tonight Mai. Would you happen to know what this is?" He pulled out the golden blocks, showing them to her. She leaned over them, uninterested. "Not a clue. Get some blacksmith to melt them down."

Yugi sighed, tucking them away disappointedly. "That's what I thought." The vampire inclined her head, turning away. Then she seemed to collapse into herself, melting into the shadows on the street. Yugi stared after her for a moment before turning away, beginning to run. He ran through several streets before he returned to the orphanage he lived at.

"Home sweet home," he muttered, climbing up the side. He reached the window of the room he shared with three other boys, and peered in. All three were asleep, so he eased his hand through one glass pane and unlocked the window, slipping in silently to close it. Then he went to bed, squeezing his eyes shut. The blocks lay in a pocket, heavy and cold.

Yugi jerked awake as the door slammed open. In an instant, he had leapt up above the doorway, balancing on the frame as the woman walked in. "Wake up!" she said firmly. Then she spotted Yugi's bed, which he had just vacated. Sighing irritably, she went over to straighten it. Then she paused. "I fixed this yesterday…" Yugi held his breath, but a boy pointed at him.

"He's over there," he ratted the child out. Cursing under his breath, he exhaled before smiling as the lady turned to him. "Miss," he said cheerfully. "Good morning, so nice to see you. What's for breakfast?" The woman stabbed a finger in his direction. "You get down here now," she demanded. Yugi tilted his head, grinning. "Why?" he asked innocently as possible.

Exasperated, the woman shook her head. "Hurry it up," she told the other occupants of the room before leaving, ignoring Yugi completely. Snickering, the child stared hopefully at the boys. One shrugged. "Go ahead," he said tiredly, gesturing to the window. Yugi climbed down and unlocked it, climbing down the side of the building, going as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, it had rained in the brief amount of time he had slept, and was raining even now. His hands and feet slipped, and he fell, landing with a sickening thud. Yugi swore angrily, knowing no one was going to notice - and no one was going to care, even if they did. Despite the pain he stood, moving to get out of the rain. He took shelter in a roofed alley.

Inspecting himself, he found that besides the aching bruises, small scrapes on his hands, he was fine. It still hurt though, so he brushed off some of the mud, sitting for a short while on the concrete to rest. Bored, he took out the golden blocks to inspect them. "Huh," he said aloud, noticing something. The child placed two pieces together, admiring how they fit neatly.

Then, piece by piece, he discovered that it seemed to be a complicated puzzle. A few times he had to rearrange them, but he managed to have them all fit. All that was left was a piece with an eye engraved on it. He placed it in the correct spot, thinking how odd the object formed was. It was like an upside-down spire with edges. The puzzle was complete as he looked at it.

There was a loop on where the bottom usually would be, so he used some string from his frayed sleeves to make a cord of sorts, the result being a necklace. He held it uneasily. It felt wrong, somehow, but he shrugged off the feeling. After all - it might be worth more this way. If only he could find Mai. Mr. Jounouchi would probably know, but the store owner would kill him.

"I wish I had someone more reliable," the child sighed aloud.


	27. Chapter 27

**Okay, this is definitely based a little bit off of Black Butler. Pay it no mind - this is a crazy, random story. I'm sure the urge to include Black Butler things will wear off eventually. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy! Has fun reading Yugi and co's antics.**

"Someone like me, perhaps? If that is so, then I will grant your wish." Yugi spun to see a man. He was dressed in black leather and kind of looked like Yugi grown up, but with more streaks of blond in his hair as well as eyes that were red to rival the scariest vampire. Most importantly - the guy was transparent. Yugi could see straight through him to the brick wall behind him.

"Uh," the child said slowly as he began backing away, "I didn't know this granted wishes." The spirit chuckled. "But it does - or rather, I do. My best, anyway. So is that your wish?" Yugi hesitated before shrugging. "Sure, why not? But how are you going to be reliable?" The spirit looked thoughtful as he stepped closer. "What would such a person be called here?"

Yugi laughed slightly mockingly. "A butler," he said, "or a maid. You can't possibly be thinking of being either…" His voice trailed off as the spirit nodded approvingly. "So if I am your butler," the man said casually, "then what will you call me?" Yugi's mind reeled at the insanity of this. "Whatever your name is," he replied disbelievingly. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

The spirit caught the look and sighed. "I am sorry, I can't ask you to trust me so easily, can I? Please, though… Know I will not betray you." Yugi stared. "That is so cheesy," he said flatly. The spirit chuckled. "I guess so," he admitted. "My name is Yami. It is nice to meet you." Yugi sighed. "Can anyone else see you? Have you served anyone else before?" he asked curiously.

"Hm," Yami said thoughtfully. "I think not… for the first, but for the second I can't recall." Suddenly he looked down. "Are you alright?" Yugi rolled his eyes. "I'm not dead, am I?" The spirit frowned. "It's not the same thing." Yugi scoffed, standing up. "Sure it is." He turned away, walking purposefully. "What are you doing?" Yami asked the child curiously. The child sighed.

Staring out at the rain he'd have to run through, the child replied dismally, "Getting breakfast… getting soaked." Leaning his head down, Yugi ran out from under the alley, splashing as little as possible while crossing the street. He did this three times, finally reaching the neighborhood with Masquerade Meals. Soaked, he hurried inside, dripping on the mat.

"You're soaked," Anzu remarked. "No kidding," Yugi replied sarcastically. The girl rolled her eyes. "Don't leave that mat," she ordered, tossing a slip of paper to him. He caught it, handling it carefully so as to not blur the ink. He read aloud, "Wandering god that returns, always, to the darkness he came from. Light to dark, he circles that world full of life. Who is he?"

Yugi laughed, tossing it back. Anzu caught it, her eyebrows raised in expectation. "The moon," he told her. She threw him a steaming bundle, which he held happily. "Good job," she praised him. The child nodded, darting out of the restaurant. Beside him, Yami commented, "You are very good at puzzles and riddles." Yugi replied, "Thanks," turning into an alley.

He held the sandwich a little longer before scarfing it down as slowly as he could - which wasn't much. As Yami watched him the spirit asked, "Where are your parents?" Yugi shrugged, swallowing. "Abandoned me. I dunno where they are. Why do you ask?" The spirit paused. Finally he said slowly, "That method of gaining food… does not seem to be how one normally does it."

Yugi laughed. "Not really," he agreed. He stood, crumpling up the napkins and throwing them aside. "But I am an orphan, and you are dead. Is there really anything we can do?" He smiled cheerfully up at the spirit. "Besides, I'm still not certain you aren't a vampire." The spirit tilted his head. "A… vampire? I am not familiar with that term. What is a vampire?"

The child blinked. "Huh. Well, a vampire drinks human blood to live." Yami looked horrified. "I know," Yugi laughed, "most people don't believe in them. Makes it easier for them to hunt, though." Still laughing, the child turned away, looking out at the street. "I think the rain's clearing up…" he said. He moved his arm, wincing only a little. The pain was already fading.

"Yami," he said, "I'm going somewhere." The spirit asked curiously, "Are you going to the market… or something?" Yugi shook his head. "Somewhere private," he replied. "How do I leave you behind?" The spirit blinked, startled. "Um, I'm connected to the puzzle," he answered, "but why would you leave me behind? Aren't I supposed to be someone you can rely on?"

Yugi didn't respond, pulling the puzzle off. Tucking it behind some abandoned trash bags, he waved cheerily before vanishing around the corner. Yami stood there, dejected. "..." Sighing, he sat down, prepared to wait for the child to return.


	28. Chapter 28

"Mai! Mai, where are you?" A snicker came from behind him. He turned to see the woman stalking out of the shadows, smiling. "Yugi!" she exclaimed. "Hello… so what do you need now, child?" Yugi sighed. "I put the gold blocks together," he confessed. Mai narrowed her eyes. "They formed something," she stated, coming closer. She bent down, staring intently at him.

The child waited her verdict. "Something of the shadows has definitely attached itself to you," she said. "What did it call itself?" Yugi groaned. He explained, "He called himself Yami! He looked like a grown-up version of me, and said he'd grant my wish." Mai's eyes widened. "You agreed?" she said incredulously. Yugi smirked. "Of course - my soul's already lost," he said.

"What did you wish for?" the woman questioned. "If I tell you, it won't come true~!" Yugi said in a sing-song tone. But then he answered, "I wished for someone reliable. Now the shadow is calling himself Yami, and saying he's my butler." Mai sighed. "Be careful," she warned. "I've never encountered something like that before." Yugi teased, "No way! Not even a hag like you?"

She smacked him lightly before continuing, "Shadows tend to aim for the mind and heart. This Yami… he sounds alright, but don't let him get to close, and don't trust him on anything important, okay?" The child rolled his eyes. "I won't," he agreed. Then Mai added, "I think today we should play a game." Yugi's face froze. The woman smiled as she approached him.

Yugi swore before turning and running. The vampire laughed. "You can't run from me," she purred. Yugi ran back the way he had come, wondering whether Yami would be any use in this situation. Then he crashed to the ground, tripping over Mai's foot. A peal of laughter rang out. Yugi struggled to rise, but she held him down. Her fangs gleamed as she bent down.

"Yugi!" The vampire's weight vanished as Yami leaned over Yugi, concerned. All the child could say was, "How did you know my name?" The man looked confused. "I… uh…" The child backed away, glancing around. He caught a glimpse of Mai as she sank into the shadows. Her expression was terrified - causing Yugi to wonder what exactly Yami could be.

"How did you know my name?" Yugi asked again. Yami hesitated. "I read your mind," he admitted. "It's because I felt a flash of fear from you!" he added defensively. "I didn't mean to! I was just worried!" Yugi frowned. He still didn't like the fact Yami could do that without his permission, but he let it go for the moment to focus on something just as important.

He accused, "You said you were connected to the puzzle. How did you come over here?" Yami sighed. "I'm connected to you and the puzzle," he explained. "Without you, I need the puzzle. Without the puzzle, I need you. So… I didn't lie. The only way to leave me behind was to leave the puzzle behind." Yugi sighed, standing. He winced, but waved off Yami's worry.

"I'm not dead," he insisted, walking. He made it to the alley, where he retrieved Yami's puzzle to hang it around his neck. "It's not the same thing," Yami persisted. The child ignored him. Instead he asked, "I thought others couldn't see you." Yami sighed. "I was wrong," he replied. "Apparently vampires can - I don't believe I've ever encountered such things before, though."

Yugi sat down as he thought about it. "You could have," he pointed out. "Not like you have memories, right?" The shadow frowned, his face troubled as he said, "I do. However, they are very vague." Yugi groaned as he stood, looking up at the sky. "Noon," he said. "I should get going." Yami tilted his head. "Going? Where?" Yugi replied, "Markets are open now."

He stood, walking in a new direction. "I need to eat somehow," he explained. "So I need to go steal… hey," he said, something occurring to him. His 'butler' would be useless when stealing, because he was not corporeal, but… "Why was Mai so scared of you?" he asked. "Since you can't touch her, that means she leapt off of her own accord. So then how did you…"

Yami shrugged as he followed the child. "I do not know." The child sighed, spotting the busy market crowd. "Here we go," he muttered, ducking into the rush of people. A person bumped into a stall, knocking loose some apples. Yugi stuck out a hand, tucking one into his jacket before it could hit the ground. A meat stall lay across the street, tempting him.

The child went with the traffic, coming close. He kept an eye on the vendor, snatching a stick of meat as the man turned away, occupied with a customer. Quickly the child turned into an alley, nibbling on his prizes as he kept an eye on the crowd. "You are used to this," Yami noted. Yugi smirked. "I am," he agreed, tossing the apple core away. He went to work on the meat.

"How do you know that woman… vampire?" Yami asked curiously. Yugi chewed before answering, "I met her a while ago… she massacred a whole house once. Coincidentally, I was attempting to steal from that house. She didn't kill me then, introducing me to the world of vampires instead. However, when she's bored or hungry, we play games of tag… a bit deadly."

Yami's eyes widened. "A bit?" he asked incredulously. "Being with vampires… that can't be safe." Yugi looked up at him, amused. "Of course not," he replied. "But I'm a lot safer being aware of the danger, rather than ignorant like all the other humans." The child went back to eating, leaving Yami to collect his thoughts on this race of supernatural beings.


	29. Chapter 29

"Yugi. Yugi, wake up." The child groaned, tired. He had ended up not returning to the orphanage the day before, opting to rest in an abandoned building. There were a surprising amount people with money didn't want - it was empty ones that were rare. Lucky for him, he found a small one that used to be a library. "What is it?" he asked, yawning.

Yami sounded awed as he said, "It's snowing. Look!" Yugi sighed, snuggling under his makeshift nest of discarded books and cloth. "Great…" he said unenthusiastically. "That means it's going to be even colder." Yami glanced at him from his place at the window, frowning. "I thought snow was fun," he said dissappointedly. "It would be," the child muttered, "If it wasn't cold."

"Maybe you should get up," the spirit suggested. "You're definitely not a butler," Yugi muttered under his breath. "Pushy." Louder so that Yami could hear, he complained, "You can't feel the cold. Let me sleep a little longer." Yami glanced out the window again. It was a few minutes before Yugi finally roused himself, standing beside the spirit to study the street.

"Not that much people," Yugi noted. Yami nodded. "What're you doing here?" They both turned to see a small boy Yugi's age - with dark hair. "Not as vacant as I thought," Yami mused. Yugi refrained from responding, hoping the boy hadn't already seen him talking to himself. "Taking shelter," he said instead. "Is this… your place?" The boy shook his head, glancing about nervously.

Inhaling audibly, the boy glared at Yugi. "No. It's not. Does that mean I can't be here?" Yugi stifled a laugh. "No," he placated the boy, "I was worried I was intruding, that's all." Before he could get any further, the boy commented, "You sure speak fancy… why're you sleeping here?" Yami felt Yugi stiffen slightly, stepping backwards. He glanced down at the child, worried.

Yugi raised his own chin. "I ain't got nowhere to go," he replied. Yami heard the subtle change in accent. Apparently the boy didn't, because he said, "Oh. Me neither… My name's Mokuba." Yugi relaxed. "I'm Yugi. You an orphan too?" Mokuba hesitated, but not for long. He sat down next to Yugi, the child following suit. Yami strode over to a corner, crossing his legs to wait.

"My ma and pa're both gone," the kid said. "I had my brother for a while, but he disappeared a while ago. You?" Yugi replied, "Ran away from the orphanage." Mokuba made a face. "Nasty places, those." They chatted for a while before the boy got up. "Gotta go - nice seeing you," he said, waving. Yugi waved back as the kid walked out the door, then stood quickly.

"We need to go," he said urgently to Yami. The spirit followed, confused. "Why?" Yugi hissed under his breath as they hurried out the back door, "I recognized that boy. He was lying - his brother's just fine, only he's a cop. That little rat!" They turned down a back street. "He might've heard me talking with you. I slipped up at the beginning, speaking proper English. Now I've done it!" Yami watched as Yugi crouched behind a trash can, scanning the busy road carefully. "I've never wondered about it, but is speaking proper English… unusual?" Yugi whispered quietly, "I'll tell you later. We need to -"

"Yugi Mutou. So nice to see you." Yugi closed his eyes as if in pain. Yami turned to behold a sight. Police officers crammed into the narrow street behind them, with a brown-haired teenager leading them. He spread his arms, smiling smugly. "Mokuba told me about his encounter," the teenager continued. "Now he doesn't know you, but I do. Right?"

Yugi sighed, turning to face him. "Seto Kaiba," he said wearily. "Let me guess… that lady called you up, all worried? Happy you have an excuse to put me in handcuffs, even for the short walk back? What a pity. You're such a good cop, you have no work left to do but to chase children on the street. Bravo, Kaiba, I say bravo." As he finished the child clapped slowly.

Kaiba sneered as he said, "Huh, isn't that funny? Jokes are over, kid. Get here now." Yugi put a finger to his chin. "Why should I?" he said in an innocent tone. "I mean, I don't want to. So… I don't think I will." Smiling, the child darted into the crowd. "Get him!" Kaiba roared. The cops swarmed out, grabbing people at random. Dodging hands and busy people, Yugi ran.

Finally he stopped, gasping for breath, in a much emptier neighborhood. He sighed as he stepped onto the sidewalk, shaking out his legs. "The snow soaked through my pants," he mumbled, "and they're gonna freeze pretty soon. Great day to be alive, seriously." Sitting on the thankfully dry curb, he looked up at Yami. "I promised to tell you why I speak properly," he said.

The spirit nodded, so Yugi said, "I'll tell you some other time. Look, Yami… I can't trust you. I don't know you. We're just random strangers… that shouldn't have met. You're. A. Spirit. That came out of a golden puzzle. To be honest - that's weird. I haven't thought about it, and I don't intend to. But I've trusted you quite a bit already, and I'm sorry… no more."

Yami sighed. "But I can help you," he whispered. Yugi stepped away, clasping his hands to his ears. "No," he said firmly. "Okay," the spirit replied, gloomy. The child sighed, but suddenly a gunshot sounded as he simultaneously fell to one knee. Yami rushed over. "Are you okay?" he asked. Yugi clasped his arm, where the bullet had sliced through skin and vein.

"Get back here!" Kaiba demanded, holding the gun. The child rolled his eyes. "NO WAY IN HELL!" he screamed back. Standing unsteadily, he turned and sprinted, losing himself in the maze of streets and alleys. The police followed easily, but couldn't catch up. Eventually Yugi lost them. "They're gone," Yami informed Yugi urgently. The child slowed, then stopped.

Before crumpling to the ground, hitting his head on the concrete with a sickening crack.


	30. Chapter 30

**Haha! So, I redid this chapter - or rather, added onto it. In any case, I hope you enjoy. I know I took a while, but I ain't getting paid for this, so that's only to be expected.**

Yami knelt hurriedly, wishing he was a bit more corporeal. As a result, Yugi's skull was probably cracked, his arm was bleeding out, and only a spirit knew or cared about him. "Yugi! Yugi!" Yami said urgently. The child remained still. "Yugi!" Yami looked up, confused. This time it was Anzu who came barreling down the alley. Still in uniform, her expression was panicked.

Even though technically she could have walked through him and not notice, Yami stepped aside as she knelt down, cradling the child's small body. "Oh my god," she whispered, carrying him. " What happened now, Yugi?" She took him through a doorway, then lay him to rest on a small cot. "The bullet passed through completely," she muttered, bandaging his arm.

She then studied his head. Yami stood back, slightly impressed at her abilities. For some reason, he had expected her to be a helpless, irritating girl who was all talk. He shook the notion away, though the personality and girl in front of him seemed ridiculously familiar. "Okay," she said, putting everything away. Then she sighed, placing a blanket on Yugi.

"I gotta get to work," she said sadly. She left the boy there, slipping out to the front. Meanwhile, Yami sat beside Yugi. "Are you awake?" he asked softly. When the child didn't stir, Yami sighed. "You're right, you don't know me," he said sadly, leaning back. "But… I don't know you, either. You don't seem like a typical street orphan. And the vampires… you're not one, right?"

The spirit sighed as he stood. "I'm not a vampire." Yami glanced at Yugi, who still had his eyes closed. "I'm not a vampire," the child repeated, "but yes, I have secrets of my own. Don't you?" Now he opened his eyes, the clear violet staring intently at Yami. The spirit smiled. "If I do, I don't remember," he replied. Yugi laughed, starting to sit up carefully.

The noise brought Anzu back. "Don't sit up," she scolded. Yugi obligingly lay back down as she checked his wounds again before saying, "Do you want to stay here for a few days?" Yugi smirked, swinging his legs over the side. "No," he replied, standing. Yami followed as the child walked out. "You could have said thank you," Yami pointed out, but Yugi laughed.

"If I did," he said, "she would only mock me. So I don't, not when she does me favors like this." Yami sighed. "Is that so?" he mused. They walked for a while before Yami asked, "So where are we going now?" Yugi hesitated. Finally he replied, "I'm not sure yet." He added, "Well, I can't go to my usual haunts for now, and the vampires… well, something's up between you guys…"

Yami smiled sheepishly. Finally Yugi decided, "I guess I'll go home." Yami perked up. "You have a home? Then why do you stay at the orphanage?" Yugi laughed. "My home burned down," he explained, "but the ruins are untouched and uninhabited… and some rooms are fairly sturdy still." The child led Yami down an alleyway. "Besides, no one goes there. It's cursed."

Yami frowned, uncertain whether he had heard correctly. "They… think it's cursed?" Yugi shook his head. "No, it is cursed. My mother…" His voice trailed off as he looked thoughtful. Then he continued, "anyway, it is cursed, but not in the way you might think. It only keeps out vampires and…" Yugi sighed. "Too many secrets," he muttered, frustrated.

The spirit followed him as they walked down the empty street. Eventually Yami asked, "Were you going to say something after 'vampires,' Yugi?" Yugi smiled. "Yes," he replied. A moment passed before Yami ventured, "Will you tell me what you were going to say?" The boy shook his head. "No, I don't think I will," he said. They came across the blackened ruin of a house.

"We're here," Yugi announced. He stepped over the threshold. Yami tried to follow but couldn't manage. "Were you going to say ghosts?" Yami asked. Yugi shook his head. "No…" He laughed. "I was going to say 'humans'."


End file.
